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r 


d 


O R, 

(©lirapBJB  nf  t jj i 


Departorb  from  Old  Cairo 


NEW  YORK: 

HARPER  & BROTHERS,  PUBLISHERS, 

82  CLIFF  STREET. 


I 


THE 

\ 

NILE  BOAT: 

OR,  GLIMPSES  OF 

THE  LAND  OF  EGYPT. 


W.  H.  BARTLETT, 

AUTHOR  OF  ‘FORTY  DAYS  IN  THE  DESERT. 


I 

NEW  YORK: 

HARPER  & BROTHERS. 


1851 


I 


f 


\ 


PREFACE. 


To  add  another  book  on  Egypt  to  the  number  that  have  already 
appeared,  may  almost  appear  like  a piece  of  presumption.  But  it 
should  be  remarked,  that  beside  the  army  of  erudite  ‘ savans’  who  have 
enlisted  themselves  in  the  study  of  its  antiquities,  there  has  always 
been  a flying  corps  of  light-armed  skirmishers,  who,  going  lightly  over 
the  ground,  busy  themselves  chiefly  with  its  picturesque  aspect ; who 
aim  at  giving  lively  impressions  of  actual  sights,  and  at  thus  cre- 
ating an  interest  which  may  lead  the  reader  to  a further  investigation 
of  the  subject.  This  class  of  writers  can,  of  course,  even  when  suc- 
cessful in  their  object,  claim  but  a very  humble  rank.  The  modicum 
of  historical  and  archaeological  lore  with  which  they  are  accustomed 
to  season  their  narratives  must,  naturally,  be  borrowed  from  others ; 
all  the  merit  that  falls  to  them  being  the  faithful  description  of  what 
they  have  themselves  beheld.  Of  such  slight  texture  is  the  composi- 
tion of  the  present  volume.  The  author  had,  indeed,  entirely  re- 
nounced the  idea  of  preparing  one,  and  was  only  encouraged  to  do  so 
by  the  kind  reception  of  a recent  production  of  the  same  stamp,  which 
aimed  at  producing  distinctness  of  impressions  by  the  combination  of 
the  pencil  and  the  pen. 

While  disclaiming  for  the  text  of  his  book  any  pretensions  to 
originality,  the  writer  is  anxious  to  say  that  this  is  not  the  case  with 
the  illustrations,  of  which  the  whole  were  drawn  upon  the  spot,  many 
of  them  with  the  Camera  Lucida.  He  has  endeavored  to  present, 
within  small  compass,  as  much  variety  as  possible,  displaying  the 
principal  monuments  of  the  earlier  or  Pharaonic  monuments,  as  at 
Thebes ; the  later  Ptolemaic  style,  as  at  Edfou  and  Philse  ; with  some 
of  the  most  beautiful  specimens  of  the  Arabian,  at  Cairo.  The  sites 
of  Alexandria  and  Thebes,  with  their  principal  ruins,  are,  it  is  hoped, 


IV 


PREFACE. 


rendered  distinct  and  intelligible.  Something,  too,  is  attempted  of 
the  characteristic  scenery  of  the  river,  and  something  of  modern  man- 
ners and  customs.  The  figures  were  all  put  in  from  actual  sketches, 
often  exactly  as  they  stand.  In  short,  the  book,  though  far  from 
giving  an  adequate  idea  of  Egyptian  scenery  and  monuments,  which 
is  indeed  impossible  on  the  scale,  so  far  as  it  goes,  may  claim  to  be  a 
correct  one,  at  least  in  intention  and  endeavor. 

The  authorities  quoted  are  generally  named,  but  the  author  can  not 
omit  to  acknowledge  his  especial  obligations  to  the  kindness  of  Mr. 
Samuel  Sharpe,  the  historian  of  Egypt.  The  interest  taken  by  that 
gentleman  in  every  attempt  to  popularize  the  favorite  subject  of  his 
studies,  has  led  him,  not  only  to  present  the  writer  with  a brief  in- 
troduction, but  also  to  allow  the  literal  quotation  of  such  portions  of 
his  volume  as  happened  to  bear  upon  the  subject  described,  giving 
thereby  a permanent  utility  and  value  to  what  would  otherwise  be 
trivial  and  fugitive.  Thus,  the  entire  historical  sketch  of  Thebes, 
prefixed  to  the  account  of  its  ruins,  is  extracted  in  full  from  his 
valuable  “ History  of  Egypt.” 

Finally,  should  any  one,  by  glancing  over  these  pages,  be  tempted 
to  think  of  visiting  the  country  they  describe,  let  him  not  suppose  it 
is  intended  to  usurp  the  functions  of  a guide  book, -beyond  pointing 
out  the  prominent  objects  of  interest.  For  the  manners  and  customs 
of  Ancient  Egypt,  aud  a detailed  description  of  the  existing  monu- 
ments, the  works  of  Sir  Gardner  Wilkinson  are  indispensable;  as  are 
those  of  Lane  for  the  modern  state  of  Egypt.  These  are  not  the 
hasty  sketches  of  a passing  tourist,  but  the  result  of  yearn  of  patient 
and  learned  investigation ; and  no  one  should  think  of  going  to  Egypt 
without  them ; nor,  we  must  say  in  addition,  without  the  history 
already  referred  to.  More  compact  and  portable  editions  than  the 
present  of  these  invaluable  volumes  would,  however,  be  a boon  to  the 
traveler,  by  whom,  more  than  any  one  else,  “ a great  book”  is  felt 
to  be  “ a great  evil.” 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


ENGRAVINGS. 

To  face  page 

Frontispiece.  Karnak — Grand  Hall. 

Title-page.  Departure  of  the  Kangia  from  Old  Cairo. 

Map  of  Egypt  . . . . . . . . .11 

Panorama  of  Alexandria  .......  24 

Street  in  Cairo  . . . . . . . .51 

The  Bazaar  .........  55 

View  from  the  Citadel  . . . . . . .60 

Mosque  of  Sultan  Hassan  .......  64 

Mosque  of  El  Azhar  . . . . . . . .66 

Tombs  of  the  Memlook  Sultans  . . . . 70 

Tomb  of  Sultan  Kaitbay  . . . . . . .72 

Interior  of  a House  at  Cairo  ......  74 

Ferry  at  Ghizeh  . . . . . . . .92 

The  Sphynx  ........  94 

The  Pyramids  .........  100 

The  Slave-Boat  . . . . . . . .132 

The  Shadoof  .........  136 

Map  of  Thebes  ........  161 

Valley  of  the  Tombs  of  the  Kings  . . . . . .162 

Hall  of  Beauty  . . . . . . . .164 

Plain  of  Thebes  ........  169 

Medeenet  Habou  . . . . . . . .172 

Colossal  Statue — Memnonium  . . . . . . .175 

The  Colossi  ........  179 

Luxor  from  the  Water  . . . . . . .186 

Propy-lon  of  Luxor  . . . . . . . .187 

Approach  to  Thebes  . . . . . . . .189 

Karnak — 1st  Court  .......  190 

Retrospective  View  of  the  Grand  Hall  ....  195 

Temple  of  Edfou  . . . . . . . .199 

Frontier  of  Egypt  ........  205 

Approach  to  Phil.e  .......  209 

Pharaoh’s  Bed — Phila:  .......  210 

View  from  Phil.e  ........  212 

Temple  of  Abusimbal  . . . . . . . .215 


-4- 

vi  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

WOOD-CUTS. 

Pape 

Landing  in  Egypt  . . . . . . . .18 

Noon  in  a Nile-Boat  . . . . . . . .34 

Water-wheel  on  the  Lower  Nile  .....  40 

Mosque  of  Tooloon  . . . . . . . .63 

Bab  Zooayleh  .........  68 

Heliopolis  . . . ......  90 

Section  of  the  Pyramid  .......  103 

Dancing-girls  . . . . . . . . .113 

Tomb  of  Beni  Hassan  .......  120 

Crocodile  .........  138 

Temple  of  Dendera  .......  140 

Tablet  at  Beirout  ........  152 

Doctrine  of  the  Judgment  ......  165 

Plan  of  the  Memnonium  . . . . . .176 

Hall  of  ditto  ........  176 

Battle-scene  in  ditto  . . . . . . . .178 

Hagar  Silsilis  ........  201 


CONTENTS 


Page 

Preface 

Historical  Introduction  .......  1 

Chap.  I.  Departure  from  Marseilles. — the  India  mail. — a ship  run 

DOWN. A GLANCE  AT  MALTA ALEXANDRIA ANCIENT  AND  MODERN 

CHARACTERISTICS. PANORAMIC  VIEW  OF  THE  CITY. ITS  TOPOGRAPHY 

AND  HISTORICAL  ASSOCIATIONS  . . . . . .11 

Chap.  II.  Departure  from  Alexandria. — the  canal. — first  impres- 
sions OF  THE  NILE  VALLEY. ITS  AGRICULTURE  AND  ANIMALS. ANTI- 
QUITY OF  EGYPT. SAIS  AND  NAUCRATIS. FIRST  SIGHT  OF  THE  PYRA- 
MIDS.  ARRIVAL  AT  CAIRO  ....  .30 

Chap.  III.  Cairo. — situation. — characteristics. — streets. — bazaars. — 

ARABIAN  MONUMENTS. MOSQUES. GATES,  TOMBS,  AND  PRIVATE  DWELL- 
INGS .........  46 

Chap.  IV.  Departure  for  thebes. — dancing-girls. — slave-boat. — the 

RAMADAN. DENDERA. KENEH  ......  108 

Chap.  V.  Thebes. — its  history. — Libyan  suburb. — tombs  of  the  kings. 

MEDEENET  HABOU. — MEMNONIUM. LUXOR  AND  KARNAK  . . 147 

Chap.  VI.  Thebes  to  esneii  and  edfou. — Assouan. — the  cataracts. — 

PHIL.-E. ABUSIMBAL. MEROE  ......  198 


HISTORICAL  INTRODUCTION. 


BY 

SAMUEL  SHARPE,  ESQ. 


The  Egyptians  are  the  earliest  people  known  to  us  as  a 
nation.  When  Abraham  entered  the  Delta  from  Canaan, 
they  had  already  been  long  enjoying  all  the  advantages 
of  a settled  government  and  established  laws.  While 
Abraham  and  his  countrymen  wrere  moving  about  in 
tents  and  wagons,  the  Egyptians  were  living  in  cities. 
They  had  already  cultivated  agriculture,  and  parceled 
out  their  valley  into  farms:  they  reverenced  a land- 
mark as  a god,  while  their  neighbors  knew  of  no  prop- 
erty but  herds  and  movables.  They  had  invented 
hieroglyphics,  and  improved  them  into  syllabic  writing, 
and  almost  into  an  alphabet.  They  had  invented 
records,  and  wrote  their  kings’  names  and  actions  on  the 
massive  temples  which  they  raised.  Of  course  we  have 
no  means  of  counting  the  ages  during  which  civilization 
was  slowly  making  these  steps  of  improvement.  Over- 
looking, therefore,  those  years  when  the  gods  were  said 
to  have  reigned  upon  earth,  and  Menes  the  fabulous 
founder  of  the  monarchy,  history  begins  with  the  earliest 
remaining  records.  These  are,  the  temple  at  Karnak, 


o 


HISTORICAL  INTRODUCTION. 


and  tlie  obelisk  at  Heliopolis,  botli  raised  by  Osirtesen 
I.  of  Thebes,  and  the  great  pyramids  built  by  Suphis 
and  Sensuphis,  kings  of  Memphis,  with  the  tablets  in 
the  copper  mines  near  Sinai,  which  record  the  conquest 
of  that  country  by  Suphis,  and  prove  that  those  mines 
had  been  already  worked  by  the  Egyptians.  Such  was 
the  state  of  Egypt  in  the  time  of  Abraham.  It  was 
divided  into  several  little  kingdoms,  whose  boundaries 
can  not  now  be  exactly  known.  In  the  valley  to  the 
south  of  Silsilis  was  the  kingdom  of  Elephantine.  Next 
was  the  kingdom  of  Thebes,  which  perhaps  included  all 
the  valley  to  the  east  of  the  river.  It  had  a port  at 
yEnuni  on  the  Red  Sea,  and  thus  traded  with  Arabia. 
Next  was  the  kingdom  of  This,  or  Abydos,  on  the  west 
of  the  river,  which  had  a little  trade  with  the  Great 
Oasis  ; and  then  the  kingdom  of  Heracleopolis  also  on 
the  western  bank.  Next  was  the  kingdom  of  Memphis, 
embracing  the  western  half  of  the  Delta,  which  in  the 
reign  of  Suphis  had  been  strong  enough  to  conquer 
Thebes  and  the  peninsula  of  Sinai.  In  the  east  of  the 
Delta  were  the  kingdoms  of  Bubastis  and  Tanis. 

It  was  in  the  time  of  these  little  monarchies  that  the 
Chaldeans  and  Phenician  herdsmen  were  moving  west- 
ward, and  settling  quietly  in  the  Delta.  But  after  a 
few  generations,  as  their  numbers  increased,  they  took 
possession  of  some  of  the  cities,  and  levied  a tribute 
from  the  Egyptians.  Their  sovereigns  were  called  the 
Ilyksos,  or  Shepherd  kings,  who  dwelt  at  Abaris,  prob- 
ably the  city  afterward  called  Heliopolis,  and  they 
held  their  ground  in  Egypt  for  about  six  reigns.  The 
tyranny,  however,  of  the  Ilyksos  at  length  led  the 


HISTORICAL  INTRODUCTION. 


3 


states  of  Egypt  to  unite  against  them ; and  Amasis,  king 
of  Tliebes,  making  common  cause  with  the  kings  of  the 
other  parts  of  Egypt,  defeated  these  hateful  but  warlike 
Phenicians,  and  drove  them  out  of  the  country.  This 
may  have  taken  place  about  fourteen  hundred  and  fifty 
years  before  our  era,  and  about  two  hundred  years  after 
the  reism  of  Osirtesen  I. 

O 

With  Amasis  and  the  expulsion  of  the  Shepherds 
began  the  reigns  of  those  great  Theban  kings,  whose 
temples,  and  statues,  and  obelisks,  and  tombs,  have  for 
more  than  three  thousand  years  made  the  valley  of  the 
Nile  a place  of  such  interest  to  travelers.  The  kings 
of  the  other  parts  of  Egypt  sunk  to  the  rank  of  sover- 
eign priests.  Amunothph  I.  gained  Ethiopia  by  mar- 
riage. Thothmosis  II.,  by  his  marriage  with  Queen 
Nitocris,  the  builder  of  the  third  pyramid,  added  Mem- 
phis to  his  dominions.  Thothmosis  IV.  perhaps  carved 
the  great  sphinx.  Amimothph  III.  set  up  his  two 
gigantic  statues  in  the  plain  of  Thebes,  one  of  which 
uttered  its  musical  notes  every  morning  at  sunrise. 
Oimenepthah  I.  added  to  the  temples  of  Thebes  and  of 
Abydos.  Raineses  II.  covered  Egypt,  and  Ethiopia, 
and  the  coasts  of  the  Red  Sea,  with  his  temples,  and 
obelisks,  and  statues.  He  fought  successfully  against 
the  neighboring  Arabs,  and  marched  through  Palestine 
to  the  shores  of  the  Black  Sea.  Raineses  III.  still 
further  ornamented  Thebes  with  his  architecture. 

It  was  at  the  beginning  of  this  period,  before  Memphis 
was  united  to  Thebes,  that  the  Israelites  settled  in  the 
Delta,  and  Joseph,  as  prime  minister  of  the  king  of 
Memphis,  changed  the  laws  of  Lower  Egypt.  And  it 


4 


HISTORICAL  INTRODUCTION. 


was  after  Thebes  and  Memphis  were  united,  when 
Joseph’s  services  had  been  forgotten,  that  Moses  led  his 
countrymen  out  of  Egypt  to  escape  the  tyranny  of  their 
masters.  The  Egyptian  religion  at  this  time  Avas  the 
worship  of  a crowd  of  gods,  of  which  some  were  stone 
statues,  and  others  living  animals ; and  it  was  against 
these  and  other  Egyptian  superstitions  that  many  of  the 
laws  of  Moses  are  pointedly  directed. 

The  tombs  of  these  kings  are  large  rooms  quarried 
into  the  Libyan  hills  opposite  to  Thebes,  Avith  walls 
covered  with  paintings  still  fresh,  and  with  hieroglyphics 
which  AA'e  are  attempting  to  read.  The  columns  which 
upheld  their  temples  are  the  models  from  which  the 
Greeks  afterward  copied.  Their  statues,  though  not. 
graceful,  are  grand  and  simple,  free  from  false  orna- 
ment, and  often  colossal.  Their  wealth  was  proverbial 
Avitli  the  neighboring  nations ; and  the  remaining  monu- 
ments of  their  magnificence  prove  that  Egypt  was  at 
this  time  a highly  civilized  country,  to  which  its  neigh- 
bors looked  up  Avith  wonder.  The  JeAvish  nation  was 
weak  and  struggling  Avith  difficulties  before  the  reign 
of  David  ; the  history  of  Greece  begins  with  the  Trojan 
Avar ; but  before  the  time  of  David  and  the  Trojan  war, 
the  power  and  glory  of  Thebes  had  already  passed 
away.  Upper  Egypt  sunk  under  the  rising  power  of 
the  Delta.  Theban  prosperity  had  lasted  for  about 
five  hundred  years. 


HISTORICAL  INTRODUCTION. 


5 


B.  C.  990. 

On  the  fall  of  Thebes,  Shishank  of  Bubastis,  the  con- 
queror of  Rehoboam,  governed  all  Egypt,  and  recorded 
on  the  walls  of  the  great  Theban  temple  his  victories 
over  the  Jews.  But  after  his  death  Egypt  was  torn  to 
pieces  by  civil  wars.  Zerah,  king  of  Ethiopia,  was  able 
to  march  through  the  whole  length  of  the  land.  For 
a few  reigns  the  kingdom  was  governed  by  kings  of 
Tanis.  Then  the  kings  of  Ethiopia  reigned  in  Thebes, 
and  led  the  armies  of  Egypt  to  help  the  Israelites 
against  their  Assyrian  masters.  This  unsettled  state  of 
affairs  lasted  nearly  three  hundred  years,  during  which, 
as  the  prophet  Isaiah  had  foretold,  Egyptians  fought 
against  Egyptians,  every  one  against  his  brother,  and 
every  one  against  his  neighbor,  city  against  city,  and 
kingdom  against  kingdom.  It  was  put  an  end  to  by 
the  city  of  Sais  rising  to  the  mastery,  helped  by  the 
number  of  Greeks  that  had  settled  there,  and  by  the 
greater  skill  in  arms  of  the  Greek  mercenaries  whom 
the  kings  of  Sais  took  into  their  pay. 

Under  the  kings  of  Sais  Egypt  again  enjoyed  a high 
degree  of  prosperity.  They  were  more  despotic  than 
the  kings  of  Thebes.  They  hired  Greek  mercenaries, 
and  struggled  with  the  Babylonians  for  the  dominion 
of  Judea.  Psammetichus  conquered  Ethiopia.  Necho 
began  the  canal  from  the  Nile  to  the  Red  Sea.  His 
sailors  circumnavigated  Africa.  He  conquered  Jerusa- 
lem; and  when  the  Chaldees  afterward  drove  back 
the  Egyptian  army,  the  remnant  of  Judah,  with  the 
prophet  Jeremiah,  retreated  into  Egypt  to  seek  a 


HISTORICAL  INTRODUCTION. 


() 

refuge  with,  king  Hophra.  The  colony  of  Greeks  at 
Naucratis,  a little  below  Sais,  now  became  more  impor- 
tant. The  Greek  philosophers,  Thales  and  Solon,  visited 
the  country,  brought  there  by  trade  and  the  wish  for 
knowledge.  Ilecataeus  of  Miletus  went  up  as  high  as 
Thebes,  and  Pythagoras  dwelt  many  years  among  the 
priests.  But  Egyptian  greatness  now  rested  on  a weak 
foundation.  Jealousy  increased  between  the  native 
soldiers  and  the  more  favored  Greek  mercenaries.  The 
armies  in  Asia  met  with  a more  powerful  enemy  than 
formerly.  Nebuchadnezzar  defeated  them  on  the  banks 
of  the  Euphrates.  Cyrus  reconquered  the  island  of 
Cyprus ; and  lastly,  Cambyses  overran  Egypt,  and 
reduced  it  to  the  rank  of  a Persian  province. 

B.  C.  523. 

For  two  hundred  years  Egypt  suffered  severely  under 
its  Persian  rulers,  or  else  from  its  own  struggles  for 
freedom,  when  the  Persian  armies  were  called  off  by 
warfare  in  another  quarter.  Cambyses  plundered  the 
tombs  and  temples,  broke  the  statues,  and  scourged  the 
priests.  Darius  governed  more  mildly  by  native 
satraps ; but  after  his  defeat  at  Marathon,  the  Egyptians 
rose  and  made  themselves  independent  for  two  or  three 
years.  Afterward,  when  Bactria  rebelled  against  Ar- 
taxerxes,  they  again  rose  and  made  Inarus  and  Amyr- 
tseus  kings.  Then  for  a few  years  Hellanicus,  and 
Herodotus,  and  other  inquiring  Greeks,  were  able  to 
enter  the  Nile,  and  study  the  customs  of  this  remarka- 
ble people.  When  the  Egyptians  were  again  con- 


HISTORICAL  INTRODUCTION. 


quered,  Darius  Noth  us  attempted  to  alter  tlie  religion 
of  tlie  country.  But  when  the  civil  war  broke  out 
between  Artaxerxes  Mnemon  and  the  younger  Cyrus, 
the  Egyptians  rebelled  a third  time  against  the  Persians, 
and  with  the  help  of  the  Greeks  were  again  an  inde- 
pendent monarchy.  Plato  and  Eudoxus  then  visited 
the  country.  The  fourth  concpiest  by  the  Persians  was 
the  last,  and  Egypt  was  governed  by  a Persian  satrap, 
till  by  the  union  among  the  Greek  states,  their  merce- 
naries were  withdrawn  from  the  barbarian  armies,  and 
Persia  was  conquered  by  Alexander  the  Great. 

B.  C.  332. 

The  Greeks  had  before  settled  in  Lower  Egypt  in 
such  numbers,  that  as  soon  as  Alexander’s  army 
occupied  Memphis,  they  found  themselves  the  ruling 
class.  Egypt  became  in  a moment  a Greek  kingdom  ; 
and  Alexander  showed  his  wisdom  in  the  regulations 
by  which  he  guarded  the  prejudices  and  religion  of 
the  Egyptians,  who  were  henceforth  to  be  treated  as 
inferiors,  and  forbidden  to  carry  arms.  lie  founded 
Alexandria  as  the  Greek  capital.  On  his  death,  his 
lieutenant  Ptolemy  made  himself  king  of  Egypt,  and 
was  the  first  of  a race  of  monarchs  who  governed  for 
three  hundred  years,  and  made  it  a second  time  the 
chief  kingdom  in  the  world,  till  it  sunk  under  its  own 
luxuries  and  vices  and  the  rising  power  of  Rome.  The 
Ptolemies  founded  a large  public  library,  and  a museum 
of  learned  men.  Linder  their  patronage  Theocritus, 
Callimachus,  Lycophron,  and  Apollonius  Rhodius  wrote 


8 


HISTORICAL  INTRODUCTION. 


; 


I 


their  poems ; Euclid  wrote  his  Elements  of  Geometry  ; 
Apollonius  of  Perga  invented  Conic  Sections ; Hip- 
parchus made  a catalogue  of  the  stars;  Eratosthenes 
measured  the  size  of  the  earth ; the  Bible  was  translated 
into  Greek ; several  of  the  Apocryphal  books  were 
written ; Homer  was  edited ; anatomy  was  studied. 
But  poetry  soon  sunk  under  the  despotism,  and  the 
writers  were  then  contented  to  clothe  science  in  verse. 
Aratus  wrote  an  astronomical  poem ; Manetho,  an  astro- 
logical poem ; Meander,  a medical  poem ; and  after- 
ward Dionysius,  a geographical  poem. 

Binder  these  Alexandrian  kings  the  native  Egyptians 
continued  building  their  grand  and  massive  temples 
nearly  in  the  style  of  those  built  by  the  kings  of 
Thebes  and  Sais.  The  temples  in  the  island  of  Philse, 
in  the  Great  Oasis,  at  Latopolis,  at  Ombos,  at  Dendera, 
and  at  Thebes,  prove  that  the  Ptolemies  had  not  wholly 
crushed  the  zeal  and  energy  of  the  Egyptians.  An 
Egyptian  phalanx  had  been  formed,  armed  and  disci- 
plined like  the  Greeks.  These  soldiers  rebelled  against 
the  weakness  of  Epipkanes,  but  without  success ; and 
then  Thebes  rebelled  against  Soter  II.,  but  was  so 
crushed  and  punished,  that  it  never  again  held  rank 
among  cities. 

But  while  the  Alexandrians  were  keeping  down  the 
Egyptians,  they  were  themselves  sinking  under  the 
Romans.  Epiphanes  asked  for  Roman  help;  his  two 
sons  appealed  to  the  senate  to  settle  their  quarrels  and 
guard  the  kingdom  from  Syrian  invasion ; Alexander 
II.  was  placed  on  the  throne  by  the  Romans ; and 
Auletes  went  to  Rome  to  ask  for  help  against  his  sub- 


HISTORICAL  INTRODUCTION. 


9 


jects.  Lastly,  tlie  beautiful  Cleopatra,  the  disgrace  of 
her  country  and  the  firebrand  of  the  Republic,  main- 
tained her  power  by  surrendering  her  person  first  to 
Julius  Caesar,  and  then  to  Mark  Antony. 


B.  C.  30. 

| 

On  the  defeat  of  Mark  Antony  by  Augustus,  Egypt 
became  a province  of  Rome,  and  was  governed  by  the 
emperors  with  suspicious  jealousy.  It  was  still  a Greek 
state,  and  Alexandria  wras  the  chief  seat  of  Greek  learn- 
ing and  science.  Its  library,  which  had  been  burnt  by 
Caesar’s  soldiers,  had  been  replaced  by  that  from  Per- 
garuus.  The  Egyptians  yet  continued  building  temples, 
and  covering  them  with  hieroglyphics  as  of  old.  But 
on  the  spread  of  Christianity,  the  old  superstitions 
went  out  of  use  ; the  animals  were  no  longer  worshiped ; 
and  we  find  few  hieroglyphical  inscriptions  after  the 
reign  of  Commodus.  Now  rose  in  Alexandria  the 
Christian  Catechetical  school,  which  produced  Clemens 
and  Origen.  The  sects  of  Gnostics  united  astrology 
and  magic  with  religion.  The  school  of  Alexandrian 
Platonists  produced  Plotinus  and  Proclus.  Monasteries 
were  built  all  over  Egypt ; Christian  monks  took  the 
place  of  the  pagan  hermits,  and  the  Bible  was  translated 
into  Coptic. 

A.  D.  337. 


On  the  division  of  the  Roman  empire,  Egypt  fell  to 
the  lot  of  Constantinople.  On  the  rise  of  the  Arian 
controversy,  the  Egyptians  belonged  to  the  Athanasian 


10 


HISTORICAL  INTRODUCTION. 


party,  wliile  the  Greeks  of  Alexandria  were  chiefly 
Arians.  Hence  a new  cause  of  weakness  to  the  govern- 
ment. Under  Theodosius,  Paganism  and  Arianism 
were  forbidden  by  law,  the  library  was  burnt  by  the 
Athanasians,  and  the  last  traces  of  science  retreated 
from  Alexandria  before  ignorance  and  bigotry.  The 
country  fell  off  every  year  in  civilization,  in  population, 
and  in  strength ; and  when  the  Arabs,  animated  by 
religion,  and  with  all  the  youth  and  vigor  of  a new 
people,  burst  forth  upon  their  neighbors,  Egypt  was 
concpiered  by  the  followers  of  Mohammed,  a.  d.  640,  six 
hundred  and  seventy  years  after  it  had  been  conquered 
by  the  Romans. 


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HARPER  & BROTHERS  , NEW  YORK . 


E/u?  ? by  M'".1  JCemb/e  XZYerfc 


CHAPTER  I. 


DEPARTURE  FROM  MARSEILLES. THE  INDIA  MAIL. A SHIP  RUN  DOWN.— A GLANCE  AT 

MALTA. ALEXANDRIA. ANCIENT  AND  MODERN  CHARACTERISTICS. PANORAMIC  VIEW 

OF  THE  CITY. ITS  TOPOGRAPHY  AND  HISTORICAL  ASSOCIATIONS. 

On  a bright  day  in  the  month  of  June,  1845,  I found  myself 
safely  berthed  on  board  the  government  steamer,  and  sur- 
rounded by  the  busy  panorama  of  Marseilles  and  its  crowded 
harbor.  The  time  for  our  departure  had  expired,  but 
something  had  detained  the  courier  with  the  India  mail,  and 
we  were  becoming  impatient,  when  boats  were  seen  rapidly 
pushing  through  the  crowded  shipping.  In  one  moment  they 
were  recognized  as  bringing  the  object  of  our  anxious  expecta- 
tion, in  the  next,  all  hands  were  active  in  hoisting  it  on 
board,  and  in  almost  the  next,  the  captain’s  “ Go  on”  an- 
nounced that  we  were  off'.  Few  persons  at  home  have  any  idea 
of  the  mass  of  correspondence  thus  conveyed  : upward  of  a 
hundred  square  boxes,  carefully  sealed  and  marked  “ India 
Mail  outward,”  were  consigned  to  the  hold  as  we  rapidly 
cleared  the  harbor  and  lost  sight  of  the  city.  The  impression 
of  the  vast  importance  of  our  distant  empire  thus  made,  was 
deepened  by  the  character  of  the  passengers  on  board  : officers 
returning  after  leave  of  absence,  others  going  out  for  the  first 
time,  veterans  proceeding  to  distant  governments,  heads  of  com- 
mercial houses  and  junior  clerks,  correspondents  of  news- 
papers and  restless  tourists,  together  with  an  elegant  Indian 
prince,  who,  tempted  by  the  facility  of  intercourse,  had  visited 
England,  and  was  now  returning,  and  a young  widow  of  Bom- 


12 


A SHIP  RUN  DOWN 


bay,  whose  weeds  looked  too  becoming  to  allow  the  anticipation 
that  they  would  be  either  renewed  or  over-worn,  made  up  the 
company,  all  disposed,  at  this  distance  from  home,  to  dispense 
with  introductions,  and  to  amalgamate  cordially  into  one  tem- 
porary family. 

The  weather  was  at  first  beautiful,  but  on  the  second  day  be- 
came squally.  We  passed  the  rude  wild  mountains  of  Sardinia ; 
the  wind  sunk,  but  left  a heavy  swell,  which  kept  me  awake  to 
a late  hour  in  the  night : suddenly  I was  alarmed  by  a loud 
noise  on  deck,  much  stamping,  and  cries  of  “ Back  her evi- 
dently some  disastrous  event  was  momentarily  expected ; but 
whether  we  were  about  to  run  down  a fishing  boat,  or  were 
ourselves  on  the  point  of  being  crushed  into  the  ocean  depths  by 
the  keel  of  some  monster  ship  of  the  line,  was  all  uncertain.  I 
leaped  from  my  berth,  and  was  groping  across  the  cabin  when 
the  crash  took  place.  It  seemed  trifling,  as  though  we  had  but 
grazed  another  vessel,  and  I hastened  up  the  gangway,  quite 
relieved  of  my  alarm.  On  the  deck,  however,  all  was  confu- 
sion and  clamor ; but  in  the  midst  of  it  the  men  were  engaged 
in  hastily  letting  down  a boat:  it  was  a dusky  night;  our  ship 
was  rolling  in  the  heavy  sea,  the  wind  was  aft,  and  the  smoke 
driven  forward  involved  the  look-out  in  obscurity,  but  I could 
see,  although  with  difficulty,  a brig  pitching  laboriousl}7  at  a short 
distance.  Shouts  were  heard  on  board  her;  our  boat  put  off, 
and  was  soon  lost  to  sight  among  the  rolling  billows  : all  was  sus- 
pense, when  the  cry  burst  out  forward,  that  the  brig  was  sink- 
ing. I strained  my  eyes  through  the  gloom,  and  beyond  the 
swelling  ridges  of  water  that  successively  traced  their  dark  out- 
lines against  the  sky,  distinctly  saw  the  masts,  but  only  for  a 
moment ; in  the  next  they  had  disappeared,  and  almost  at  the 
same  time,  a boat,  deeply  laden,  was  seen  emerging  from  be- 
tween two  gulfy  waves,  and  making  for  us : this  wild  scene 
passed  as  rapidly  and  confusedly  as  a dream.  The  crowded 
boat  was  soon  alongside,  tossing  dangerously  in  the  swell : 
ropes  were  let  down,  and  one  by  one  the  crew  of  the  brig,  of 


A GLANCE  AT  MALTA. 


13 


whom  happily  all  had  been  saved,  were  hauled  up  to  the  deck. 
The  first  that  came  up  was  a boy  of  only  twelve  or  thirteen, 
albeit  looking,  in  his  blue  woolen  shirt  and  sailor’s  trowsers,  one 
of  the  finest  little  fellows  I ever  saw.  Asleep  in  his  rude  cot, 
he  had  been  hastily  snatched  from  destruction,  and  stood 
scarcely  awake,  and  quite  confounded  at  his  novel  situation. 
We  had  struck  the  vessel  amidships,  and  slight  as  the  shock 
seemed  to  me,  had  completely  torn  open  her  side : the  crew 
had  barely  time  to  throw  themselves  into  the  boat,  and  get 
clear  of  her,  ere  she  filled  and  went  down.  The  darkness,  our 
blinding  smoke,  and  the  accidental  going  out  of  their  lamp, 
which  occasioned  some  mistake  in  their  steering,  were  the 
causes  of  this  misfortune,  which  cast  its  gloom  over  the  rest  of 
our  short  voyage  to  Malta. 

The  next  day,  the  swell  had  subsided,  a gentle  breeze  kept  us 
steadily  before  the  wind,  the  sky  had  resumed  its  deep  cerulean, 
and  after  a glorious  sunset,  with  the  freshening  wind,  we  cut 
swiftly  through  the  seething  billows,  sparkling  with  phosphoric 
light,  while  the  horizon  flashed  with  the  vivid  summer  light- 
ning.  Indescribably  beautiful  are  such  evenings  in  the 
Mediterranean ; and  as  you  approach  the  island  of  Malta, 
brilliantly  arise  from  the  dark  blue  sea  the  white  Moresco- 
looking  walls  and  domes  of  its  capital,  Valetta,  bristling  with 
fortifications  ancient  and  modern,  backed  by  a sky  already 
nearly  African,  warm,  lustrous,  and  soft,  and  without  a particle 
of  smoke  to  prevent  the  minutest  and  most  distant  objects  from 
being  relieved  with  the  utmost  clearness.  One  feels  sensibly 
approaching  the  golden  climate  of  the  East.  A few  hours  in 
this  stronghold  of  the  ancient  knights  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem, 
is  a delightful  relief  to  the  sameness  of  even  a brief  voyage. 
To  anyone  coming  for  the  first  time  from  Northern  Europe,  the 
whole  scene  is  singularly  foreign.  The  white  and  yellow  houses 
of  the  city  are  piled  picturesquely  one  above  another,  with  their 
flat  roofs,  and  large  projecting  green  verandahs,  surmounted 
by  towers  and  domes  of  every  variety  of  unaccustomed  form, 


14 


A GLANCE  AT  MALTA. 


and  with  little  vegetation,  but  that  little  consisting  of  orange 
trees,  broad-leaved  bananas,  and  patches  of  brilliant  scarlet  ge- 
raniums. On  the  quays,  swarms  of  babbling  lazzaroni  mingling 
with  sturdy  seamen,  on  the  cool  flat  roofs,  groups  of  ladies 
wrapped  from  head  to  foot  in  their  black  silk  mantillas,  the 
noble  harbor  studded  with  men  of  war  and  steamers,  the 
crowd  of  white-sailed  feluccas,  and  gayly-painted  and  draperied 
boats — present  altogether  a spectacle  as  novel  and  peculiar  as 
it  is  brilliant. 

Strange  and  foreign  looking,  however,  as  the  place  appears 
at  first,  you  have  but  to  land  to  seem  half  at  home.  English 
soldiers,  in  their  familiar  costumes  and  erect,  disciplined  bearing, 
and  shops  set  out  on  the  English  model,  might  make  you  forget 
your  distance  from  it ; but  images  of  saints,  and  shrines,  and 
priestly  processions,  followed  by  a crowd  of  barefooted  lazza- 
roni, soon  restore  the  original  impression, — while  amid  the 
“ thunder  of  ten  thousand  tuneless  bells,”  you  ascend,  jostled 
by  a throng  of  importunate  beggars,  “ those  cursed  streets  of 
stairs,”  as  Byron  calls  them,  which  lead  up  into  the  prin- 
cipal street,  and  to  the  famous  church  of  St.  John.  The 
twenty-four  hours  allowed  for  our  brief  sojourn  had  however 
expired,  and  from  the  commanding  height  of  the  terraced 
promenade  above  Valetta  I cast  a parting  look  over  the  splendid 
panorama.  There  was  our  well-appointed  vessel,  getting  up 
her  steam,  surrounded  by  a crowd  of  others,  attracted  to  this 
central  point,  where  the  different  lines  of  steamers  employed  in 
the  transmission  of  correspondence  do  meet  and  congregate. 
Far  different  was  the  scene  in  this  respect  when  I last  traced 
the  same  route  : instead  of  the  prompt,  rapid,  and  almost  luxuri- 
ous conveyance  which  these  afford,  whatever  be  the  port  de- 
sired, I had  then  to  wait  three  tedious  weeks  for  the  privilege  of 
sailing  in  an  old  dirty  Maltese  brig.  Fifteen  days  of  suffering 
were  then  passed  in  the  voyage  to  Egypt ; the  vessel  was  un- 
speakably filthy,  swarming  with  rats,  cock-roaches,  and  other 
vermin,  and  when  after  a prostration  of  several  days  by  sickness 


ALEXANDRIA. 


15 


I awoke  to  a sense  of  ravening  hunger,  musty  biscuits,  Sardines, 
and  dives,  and  salt  fish,  all  too  dear  even  at  the  low  price  of 
sixpence  per  day,  were  the  only  viands  to  be  obtained  ; for  in 
confiding  ignorance  of  the  state  of  the  ship’s  stores,  I had  neg- 
lected to  lay  in  any  stock  of  provisions. 

And  now  again  we  were  safe  on  board,  and  gliding  out  of  the 
harbor.  Domes  and  terraces,  ramparts  and  quays,  flew  by. 
The  fort  of  St.  Angelo  with  its  solitary  sentinel,  and  the  meteor 
flag  of  England,  waving  from  its  battlements,  succeeded,  and 
then  again  the  open  sea,  all  sparkling  and  quivering  with  the 
warm  reflected  light.  As  we  stretched  away,  the  walls  and 
towers  massed  into  a glorious  picture,  bathed  in  that  same  rosy 
haze,  now  dying  away,  until  all  faded  into  indistinctness,  and 
nothing  met  the  eye  but  the  stars  sleeping  in  the  pale  azure,  and 
the  long  track  of  phosphoric  splendoi',  in  which  the  glow- 
worms of  the  deep  lay  telling  of  the  vagrant  keel  that  had  dis- 
turbed their  slumbers.  Our  voyage  through  this  summer  sea 
was  brief  and  prosperous.  The  sky  grew  w'armer  and  warmer 
as  we  neared  the  coast  of  Africa,  tinged,  as  it  were,  with  a re- 
flection of  the  Libyan  desert ; a soft  purple  hue,  rather  than  the 
deep  blue  of  Italy.  On  the  fourth  day  appeared  a long, 
low,  yellow  line  of  sand,  scarcely  visible  above  the  azure  sea, 
with  a few  distant  palm  trees,  like  black  specks,  and  camels 
pacing  slowly  along  the  shore,  announcing  that  wre  were  on  the 
threshold  of  those  lands  of  which  wTe  have  so  often  dreamed  ; 
the  hope  of  visiting  which  was  perhaps,  at  one  time,  too  extrav- 
agant for  a moment's  indulgence. 

Yet  the  first  view  of  Alexandria,  full  as  it  is  of  historical 
reminiscences,  is,  in  all  other  respects,  more  unimposing  than 
that  of  any  other  city  on  the  Mediterranean.  A long  line  of 
windmills  on  a sandy  ridge,  the  new  lighthouse  and  palace 
built  by  the  present  pasha,  and  the  tall  column  of  Diocletian, 
the  only  visible  wreck  of  the  ancient  city — such  are  the  fewr 
prominent  objects  which  rise  above  the  dead  level  of  the  sea. 
The  entrance  to  the  harbor  is  difficult,  but  its  spacious  area  is 


16 


ALEXANDRIA. 


thronged  with  ships  of  war,  steamers,  merchantmen,  and  all  the 
smaller  craft  incident  to  extended  traffic.  For  under  the 
government  of  Mehemet  Ali,  this  city,  which  is  his  principal 
residence,  and  the  scene  of  his  most  important  improvements, 
has  experienced  an  immense  development,  and  is  likely  to  re- 
gain a large  proportion  of  its  ancient  consequence. 

Of  this,  Campbell,  in  a few  graphic  sentences,  sets  before  us  a 
striking  picture. 

“ Alexandria  was  the  greatest  of  all  the  cities  founded  by  a 
conqueror  who  built  even  more  than  he  destroyed.  He  meant 
to  revive  in  Alexandria  the  glory  of  Tyre,  which  he  had  ruined; 
and  though  he  lived  not  to  finish  its  noblest  works,  he  was 
their  real  projector.  Alexander  in  person  traced  the  plan  of 
the  new  city,  and  his  architect,  Dinarchus,  directed  its  execu- 
tion. He  designed  the  shape  of  the  whole  after  that  of  a 
Macedonian  cloak,  and  his  soldiers  strewed  meal  to  mark  the 
line  where  its  walls  were  to  rise.  These,  when  finished,  en- 
closed a compass  of  eighty  furlongs  filled  with  comfortable 
abodes,  and  interspersed  with  palaces,  temples,  and  obelisks  of 
marble  porphyry,  that  fatigued  the  eye  with  admiration.  The 
main  streets  crossed  each  other  at  right  angles,  from  wall  to 
wall  with  beautiful  breadth,  and  to  the  length,  if  it  may  be 
credited,  of  nearly  nine  miles.  At  their  extremities  the  gates 
looked  out  on  the  gilded  barges  of  the  Nile,  of  fleets  at  sea 
under  full  sail,  on  a harbor  that  sheltered  navies,  and  a light- 
house that  was  the  mariner’s  star,  and  the  wonder  of  the  world. 

“ The  first  inhabitants  brought  together  into  this  capital  of 
the  West,  were  a heterogeneous  mass  that  seemed  hardly  to 
promise  its  becoming  the  future  asylum  of  letters  and  science. 
Egyptians  impressed  with  ancient  manners  and  maxims,  that 
had  no  sociality  with  the  rest  of  the  world — Jews,  degraded  by 
dependency,  yet  still  regarding  themselves  as  the  only  children 
of  God — Macedonians,  whose  ruling  passion  was  military  pride 
— proper  Greeks,  who  despised  all  the  rest  of  mankind — and 
fugitive  Asiatics,  that  were  the  sweepings  of  other  conquests.” 


POPULATION  OF  ALEXANDRIA. 


17 


“There  was  nothing  of  the  old  Egyptian  gravity  and  stability  of 
character,  says  Sharpe,  amid  the  Alexandrian  populace.  Cor- 
rupted by  wealth,  and  destitute  of  freedom,  they  seemed  eager 
after  nothing  but  food  and  horse-races,  those  never-failing 
bribes  for  which  the  idle  of  every  country  will  sell  all  that  a 
man  should  hold  most  dear.  A scurrilous  song  or  a horse-race 
would  so  rouse  them  into  a quarrel,  they  could  not  hear  for 
their  own  noise.  They  made  but  second-rate  soldiers,  while 
as  singing-boys  at  the  supper  tables  of  the  wealthy  Romans 
they  were  much  sought  after,  and  all  the  world  acknowledged 
that  there  were  no  fighting  cocks  equal  to  those  reared  by  the 
Alexandrians.” 

The  splendor  thus  described  has  left  scarce  a wreck  be- 
hind ; science  and  the  muses  have  long  since  advanced  west- 
ward ; but  in  the  character  of  the  population,  at  least,  there 
remains  a strong  resemblance  to  the  ancient  city  of  the  Ptole- 
mies. Sullen  repulsive-looking  Copts  replace  the  exclusive 
old  Egyptians,  their  reputed  ancestors ; Greeks  and  Jews  too 
swarm  as  before,  both,  possibly,  changed  a little  for  the  worse ; 
nor  would  it  perhaps  be  any  great  injustice  to  the  mass  of 
Levantines,  or,  with  of  course  honorable  exceptions,  to  the 
Franks,  who  make  up  the  sum  of  the  population,  even  now  to 
designate  them  as  the  “ sweepings”  of  their  respective  coun- 
tries. The  streets  swarm  with  Turks  in  splendid  many- 
colored  robes,  half-naked  brown-skinned  Arabs,  glossy  Ne- 
groes in  loose  white  dresses  and  vermilion  turbans,  sordid 
shabby-looking  Israelites  in  greasy  black,  smart,  jaunty,  rakish 
Greeks,  staid  heavy-browed  Armenians,  unkempt,  unwashed 
Maltese  ragamuffins,  and  Europeans  of  every  shade  of  respect- 
ability, from  lordly  consuls  down  to  refugee  quacks  and  swind- 
lers, and  criminals  who  here  get  whitewashed  and  established 
anew.  Here  a Frank  lady  in  the  last  Parisian  bonnet ; there 
Turkish  women  enveloped  to  the  eyes  in  shapeless  black  wrap- 
pers ; while  dirty  Christian  monks,  sallow  Moslem  dervishes, 
sore-eyed  beggars,  naked  children  covered  with  flies,  and  troops 

3 


IS 


ALEXANDRIA— LANDING. 


of  wandering,  half-savage  dogs,  with  all  the  ordinary  spectacles 
of  Wapping  and  Portsmouth,  present  a singular  and  ever-shift- 
ing kaleidoscope  of  the  most  undignified  phases  of  Eastern  and 
Western  existence,  a perpetual  carnival  of  the  motley. 

To  land  in  the  midst  of  all  this  is  some  trial  of  the  temper  ; 
though  one  hardly  knows  whether  to  be  more  amused  or  pro- 
voked at  the  indefatigable  donkey-boys ; who,  before  you 
have  well  set  foot  on  the  soil  of  this  historic  land,  rush  upon 
you  simultaneously  with  their  animals,  and  threaten  to  force 
you  back  again  into  the  element  you  have  just  escaped,  almost 
pulling  you  to  pieces  in  the  scuffle  of  which  you  are  the  object; 
assailing  you  the  while  in  a deafening  chorus  of  invitations  and 
oaths  in  ludicrous  variety,  in  a mingled  Eastern  and  Western 
dialect.  Jumping  on  the  nearest  beast  you  can  contrive  to 


mount,  no  easy  matter  among  the  crowd  of  furious  competitors, 
and  opening  a passage  through  the  rest  by  the  free  use  of  any 
instrument  at  command,  preferring,  if  attainable,  a stout  corbash 
made  of  bull-hide,  that  being  the  only  convincing  argument 
with  an  Alexandrian  ass-boy — you  advance  at  a full  trot  of  the 
lively  little  animal,  followed  by  the  clamorous  imp  of  a driver, 


X 


ALEXANDRIA  — HOTELS. 


19 


whose  thundering  blows  upon  its  crupper,  make  you  some- 
what uneasy  for  the  safety  of  your  own  ribs.  Through  unpaved 
streets,  of  half  Oriental,  half  European  aspect,  in  the  lowest 
style  of  both  countries,  and  which  have  been  evidently  run  up 
in  haste  among  the  mud  hovels  of  the  poorer  Arabs  and  the 
ruins  of  former  buildings,  you  fly  past  shops  kept  by  Greeks, 
Maltese,  Italians,  French,  arid  sometimes,  though  rarely,  by 
English  ; who  appear,  in  keeping  with  the  town,  dressed  in 
a half  European,  half  Asiatic  style,  very  dirty,  and  very  gro- 
tesque, till,  finally,  you  emerge  into  the  great  square,  an  open, 
unpaved  expanse,  where  are  situated  the  different  consulates, 
hotels,  and  cafes,  and  the  comptoirs  of  the  most  wealthy  mer- 
chants. This  is  of  course  the  modern  part  of  the  city,  and  its 
appearance  is  striking.  The  buildings  are  all  in  the  French 
and  Italian  style,  spacious  and  handsome.  The  Greek  and 
French  consulates,  in  particular,  have  extensive  facades,  but  the 
principal  ornament  will  undoubtedly  be  found  in  a new  and 
beautiful  church,  of  original  and  happy  design,  about  to  be  built 
for  the  English  Protestants,  and  which  is  intended  to  occupy  a 
conspicuous  part  of  the  square. 

Some  years  ago,  there  was  no  tolerable  hotel  at  Alexandria : 
the  two  now  established  are  large,  rambling,  and  comfortless 
places,  though,  all  things  considered,  surprisingly  good  for 
Egypt.  The  passage  of  Indian  travelers  has  given  rise  to 
them,  and  is  of  course  their  chief  support ; and  a singular 
scene  of  bustle  and  confusion  occurs,  when  tide  meets  tide,  and 
comers  and  goers  mingle  for  a few  brief  hours,  in  this  half-way 
house  between  London  and  Calcutta ; where  fresh  rosy  faces 
from  the  one,  full  of  eager  curiosity  and  anticipation,  are  seen 
side  by  side  with  the  languid,  exhausted,  apathetic  exiles,  re- 
turning from  the  other. 

Shortly  after  I took  up  my  abode  at  “ Ray’s,”  the  mail  ar- 
rived  from  Bombay,  and  as  it  was  high  noon,  and  very  hot, 
and  a great  scramble  for  rooms  was  going  on,  I had  locked 
myself  quietly  into  my  chamber  “ au  second,”  to  read.  One 


20 


SCENE  IN  THE  SQUARE. 


after  another  rushed  up  stairs,  and  tried  the  handle  of  the  door 
in  quest  of  a dormitory  for  himself,  but  to  no  purpose.  When 
the  hubbub  had  subsided,  I got  up  to  depart,  but  on  turning 
the  door  handle,  found  that  some  one  had  fastened  me  in. 
How  to  get  out  was  the  question — bells  there  was  none — and 
I went  to  the  window  to  watch  for  somebody,  who,  peradven- 
ture,  would  come  up  to  release  me.  Meanwhile  a most  amus- 
ing scene  was  going  on  in  the  square  below.  Some  twenty  or 
thirty  donkey-boys  had  wedged  in  the  hotel  door  to  pounce 
upon  the  new-comers  as  they  emerged,  all  dressed  and  ready 
to  start  on  a ramble  to  the  lions  of  Alexandria.  As  they  suc- 
cessively came  forth,  both  ladies  and  gentlemen,  a general  rush 
was  made  upon  them,  their  toes  were  trodden  on,  and  their 
coats  and  gowns  nearly  torn  off  their  backs  in  the  scramble 
for  their  possession  ; one  or  two  ladies  being  pulled  down  by 
rival  boys,  from  the  asses  upon  which  they  were  mounted,  to  the 
no  small  detriment  of  their  dress  and  delicacy.  The  battle 
now  raged — the  clamor  was  deafening — the  Englishmen’s 
blood  was  up ; they  struck  out  fiercely  with  fists  and  sticks, 
but  when  menaced  with  a knock-down  blow,  the  Alexandrian 
boy  has  a knack  of  thrusting  up  the  head  of  his  donkey  to 
receive  the  shock,  while  he  dodges  behind,  which  is  rather 
discouraging  to  an  assailant.  As  one  was  driven  back  another 
filled  his  place.  My  tears  were  running  down  with  laughter 
at  the  hopeless  predicament  of  the  travelers,  and  I was  wonder- 
ing how  they  would  ever  contrive  to  get  out,  when  I was 
startled  by  an  apparition  which  instantly  changed  the  state  of 
affairs.  A tall  gaunt  figure,  more  than  six  feet  high,  leaped 
from  a side  shop  with  a tremendous  yell,  into  the  midst  of  the 
belligerents.  He  was  armed  with  a leathern  thong,  (which, 
by  the  way,  every  Egyptian  traveler  should  procure,)  very 
thick,  and  even  longer  than  his  own  long  body — this  he 
grasped  firmly  by  the  middle,  and  plied  right  and  left  with 
such  amazing  address  and  vigor,  that  neither  boy  nor  beast 
could  stand  it  for  a moment.  The  rout  was  instantaneous,  and 


AN  OLD  FRIEND  FOUND. 


21 


the  discomfiture  complete.  There  was  a general  scatter  of  the 
ass-boys  all  over  the  square,  the  Anglo-Indians  were  free,  and 
their  great  deliverer,  with  a grave  "bow  to  them,  which  might 
have  befitted  the  knight  of  La  Mancha  himself,  turned  round 
to  re-enter  his  abode.  In  doing  so  his  features  were  revealed, 
I instantly  recognized  him,  and  seizing  a slipper,  directed  it 
with  unerring  precision  upon  the  top  of  his  hat,  at  the  same 
time  shouting  his  name  at  the  utmost  pitch  of  my  lungs.  He 
looked  upward  to  my  whereabout  with  a countenance  inflamed 
with  wrath,  which  gave  place  to  a grim  smile  as  he  recognized 
the  features  of  an  old  acquaintance.  I bawled  forth  my  predic- 
ament, whereupon,  hurrying  into  the  hotel,  he  ran  up-stairs  and 
released  me  from  my  durance.  In  what  strange  ways  does  a 
traveler  frequently  fall  in  with  those  with  whom  he  was  long 
since  intimate!  Here  was  a friend  I had  sailed  with  some  years 
before  in  the  Archipelago,  and  in  whose  society  I had  per- 
formed quarantine  in  the  old  Lazaret  of  Syra,  a barrack  swarm- 
ing with  rats,  and  almost  pestilential  with  filth.  Many  an  ad- 
venture we  had  together,  and  many  a good  story  he  told  me, 
though  this  is  not  the  place  to  dwell  upon  either.  Suffice  it  to 
say,  that  after  being  battered  about  from  place  to  place  in  the 
Levant,  he  had  at  length  contrived  to  find  a quiet  haven  in  the 
city  of  Alexandria. 

From  the  balconies  of  these  hotels,  the  view  over  the  great 
square  is  amusing,  still  presenting  the  same  mixed  and  semi- 
oriental character.  The  elegant  equipages  of  the  consuls,  and 
the  plain  attire  of  the  well-mounted  Frank  gentlemen,  and  their 
numerous  compatriots  of  lower  degree  on  donkeys  or  on  foot, 
contrast  boldly  with  the  costume  of  the  natives.  The  ‘Fellahs,’ 
or  Egyptian  Arabs,  (who  are  supposed  by  some  to  be,  rather 
than  the  Copts,  the  real  descendants  of  the  ancient  Egyptians, 
of  course  with  some  modification,)  although  they  fulfil  the 
offices  of  laborers,  porters,  water-carriers,  ‘ sais’  or  grooms,  and 
donkey-drivers,  interest  the  spectator  at  once  as  a fine  race  ; 
and  there  is  something  very  graceful  and  antique  in  the  ap- 


22 


THE  ‘FELLAHS’  AND  THEIR  HOVELS. 


pearance  at  a little  distance,  for  they  will  rarely  bear  close 
inspection,  of  the  lower  class  of  the  females  ; untrammeled 
by  tight  garments  of  any  sort,  their  costume  consisting  of  a long 
loose  blue  robe,  their  hands  and  feet  being  uncovered,  the 
wrists  and  ankles  adorned  with  bracelets,  their  gait  is  easy  and 
noble,  and  the  necessity  of  bearing  their  water  jars  on  their 
head,  or  their  naked  children  on  their  shoulders,  causes  them 
to  assume  an  erect  position,  and  gives  them  their  full  stature. 
Their  mud-built  hovels,  which  the  first  storm  destroys,  in  the 
midst  of  heaps  of  filth  and  offal,  are  the  favorite  resort  of  troops 
of  those  half-savage  and  masterless  curs,  that  fiercely  assail  any 
one  who  attempts  to  penetrate  into  their  quarter.  Childhood, 
which,  among  the  poorer  class  in  other  countries,  often  flour- 
ishes in  the  midst  of  poverty  and  squalor,  in  its  happy  buoy- 
ancy, here  seems  the  most  wretched  period  of  existence  ; the 
meager,  listless  infants,  covered  with  dirt  and  flies,  which  form 
a black  ring  around  their  apparently  weak,  diseased  eyes,  present 
a distressing  spectacle.  Yet,  with  all  the  hardships  and  oppres- 
sion they  suffer,  the  Arabs,  even  of  the  lowest  class,  are  a most 
immeasurably  noisy,  lively,  mercurial  people.  Their  woes  sit 
more  lightly  on  them  than  on  our  own  overworked  and  degraded 
poor,  whom  nothing  but  the  gin  shop  can  arouse  ; for  one  can 
hardly  go  out  into  the  open  spaces  of  the  suburbs  without  falling 
in  with  groups  assembled  round  some  musician,  or  story-teller, 
filling  their  imaginations  with  all  the  wonders  of  oriental  ro- 
mance,  into  which  they  can  retreat  from  the  wretchedness  of 
their  real  present  condition. 

Passing  through  these  mingled  currents  of  Eastern  and  West- 
ern life,  I had  an  excellent  view  of  the  remarkable  man,  at  whose 
bidding  they  have  poured  into  Alexandria,  and  given  to  her  a 
phoenix-like  prosperity.  He  rode  slowly  by  on  horseback  ; I 
was  struck  with  his  bearing,  and  with  the  searching  glance  of 
his  quick  gray  eyes.  His  appearance  is  dignified,  and  very  dif- 
ferent from  that  of  the  late  Ibrahim,  his  son,  whose  traits  were 
wholly  coarse  and  unrefined. 


ANCIENT  ALEXANDRIA. 


23 


Leaving  the  noise  and  bustle  of  the  great  square,  a few 
minutes’  walk  brings  us  among  the  towering  mounds  which 
entomb  the  ancient  city  ; white  villas  with  gardens  of  waving 
palms  start  up  at  intervals  among  the  desolations  of  ages  ; new 
roads  and  avenues  pierce  through  the  accumulated  sand  and 
rubbish,  and  disclose  sculptured  fragments  and  yawning  foun- 
dations, sometimes  bringing  forth  even  treasures  of  art ; and 
as  these  changes  are  still  further  carried  on,  much  light  will 
doubtless  be  thrown  upon  many  obscure  points  in  the  topog- 
raphy. To  obtain  an  idea  of  the  comparative  site  of  the 
ancient  and  modern  cities,  it  is  well  to  ascend  to  the  height  of 
Fort  Cretin,  but  a few  minutes’  ride  from  the  great  square.  The 
view  hence  over  the  Mediterranean,  the  two  harbors,  the  lake 
Mareotis,  and  the  entire  area  of  splendid  and  populous  Alexan- 
dria, is  so  complete,  that  it  requires  little  stretch  of  imagination 
to  recall  vividly  the  many  illustrious  actors  on  this  memorable 
theater,  and  the  scenes  in  which  they  have  figured,  from  its 
foundation  even  to  our  day.  This  will  appear  from  the  detailed 
description  which  accompanies  the  careful  panoramic  sketch 
taken  from  this  point. 

The  island  of  Pharos  had  long  been  used  as  a shelter  for 
vessels,  and  a small  town  called  Rhacotis  existed  there,  but,  as 
already  stated,  it  was  to  Alexander  that  the  idea  first  occurred 
of  taking  full  advantage  of  the  site  for  the  establishment  of  a 
great  commercial  city.  In  the  panoramic  sketch,  the  position 
of  the  island  is  seen  extending  from  the  point  on  which  stands 
the  new  light-house  to  that  occupied  by  the  old  castle — the  site 
of  the  celebrated  Pharos,  erected  by  the  architect  Sostratus 
of  Cnidus,  by  order  of  Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  which  was 
counted  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world.  The  island  was 
united  to  the  main-land  by  a causeway  called  the  Hepta- 
stadium,  through  which  there  was  a communication  from  one 
harbor  to  the  other ; this,  in  the  course  of  ages,  has  become, 
like  that  of  Tyre,  broad  enough  to  serve  as  the  site  of  the 
greater  part  of  the  modern  city.  Of  the  double  harbor  formed 


24 


ANCIENT  ALEXANDRIA. 


by  this  causeway,  the  eastern,  now  called  the  oid  harbor, 
was  originally  the  most  important;  and  around  it,  on  the  land 
which,  as  appears  in  the  sketch,  is  now  nearly  clear  of  build- 
ings, stood  formerly  the  quarter  called  Bruchion,  contain- 
ing the  palace,  the  museum,  with  the  library,  theater,  &c.,  all 
remains  of  which  have  utterly  perished.  The  site  of  the 
Caesarium,  or  temple  of  Caesar,  is  marked  by  the  two  obelisks, 
one  of  which  is  now  prostrate,  called  Cleopatra’s  needles  ; and 
beyond  the  projecting  rock,  mid-way  between  these  monuments 
and  Lochias  point,  stood,  at  the  end  of  a mole,  the  Timonium, 
so  called  because  built  by  Antony,  for  his  desponding  retire- 
ment after  the  battle  of  Actium.  This,  it  is  hardly  necessary 
to  say,  was  the  principal  quarter  of  Alexandria,  that  to  which 
its  historical  interest  principally  belongs.  On  the  other  side 
of  Cleopatra’s  needles,  were  the  market  and  the  docks,  occupy- 
ing, as  Wilkinson  supposes,  the  site  of  the  great  square,  and 
extending  to  the  Heptastadium.  There  was  an  island  called 
the  Antirhodus,  now  destroyed — it  is  supposed  by  the  action 
of  the  sea,  and  within  its  shelter  a closed  port  belonging  to 
the  palace.  No  details  of  the  western  harbor  are  given  by 
Strabo,  the  only  point  noticed  being  the  artificial  basin  of 
Rhacotis,  whence  a canal  went  off  to  the  lake  Mareotis,  as  at 
present.  This  harbor,  anciently  called  Eunostus,  is  now  the 
principal  one  ; and  on  the  shore  are  the  palace  of  the  pasha 
and  the  arsenal.  The  modern  city  chiefly  occupies,  as  will 
be  seen,  the  intervening  space  between  the  two  harbors, 
but  it  is  extending  gradually  inland.  The  whole  of  the  space 
between  the  sea  and  the  lake  Mareotis,  was  covered  by  the 
ancient  city.  Two  great  streets,  a hundred  feet  wide,  inter- 
sected it  at  right  angles,  the  general  direction  of  which  may 
still  be  traced ; one  of  these  passed  from  the  lake  Mareotis, 
below  Pompey’s  pillar,  to  the  great  harbor,  so  that  the  ship- 
ping was  visible  at  each  extremity.  It  will  be  seen  that  but  a 
very  small  part  of  the  immense  site  of  the  ancient  city  is  now 
built  upon  ; an  irregular  wall  incloses  about  half  of  it,  but 


E UNOSTOS 


MODERN 

OLD  PORT 


ALE  X A N 0 R I A 

S L N N.  0 OF  PHAROS 


NEW 


PORT 


ANCIENT  ALEXANDRIA. 


25 


even  this  space  is  barely  dotted  here  and  there  with  modern 
villas,  mosques,  and  convents,  inclosed  in  extensive  gardens 'of 
date-palms,  thinly  scattered  among  the  immense  mounds  which 
cover  in  the  ruins  of  this  once  so  magnificent  city. 

Of  its  numerous  public  and  private  monuments,  the  only 
standing  are  the  so  called  ‘ needles  of  Cleopatra,’  and  ‘ Pom- 
pey’s  pillar.’  One  of  the  former  obelisks,  more  ancient  than  the 
foundation  of  the  city,  still  remains,  erect  among  its  ruinous 
heaps.  It  is  supposed  to  have  been  brought  from  Heliopolis, 
the  seat  of  all  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians,  until  this  became 
transferred  to  Alexandria  ; it  bears  the  name  of  Thotmes  III., 
and  its  lateral  hieroglyphics  that  of  the  great  Rameses.  Pom- 
pey’s  pillar,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  stands  on  the  lonely 
mounds  overlooking  the  lake  Mareotis  and  the  modern  city. 
It  is  a noble  column  ; the  shaft,  a single  block  of  red  granite, 
about  seventy  feet  high  ; the  total  height  being  ninety-five  feet ; 
its  substructions  were  once  under  the  level  of  the  ground,  and 
formed  part  of  a paved  area.  Mr.  Sharpe,  indeed,  supposes  this 
to  have  been  the  site  of  the  Serapion,  and  from  the  Arab  his- 
torians cited  by  Mr.  Lane,  it  appears  that  in  the  days  of  Amer, 
the  Arab  conqueror  of  Egypt,  it  belonged  to  a magnificent 
building,  containing  the  library  which  was  burned  by  order  of 
the  caliph  Omar.  No  less  than  four  hundred  columns  are  de- 
scribed as  having  surrounded  it,  which  were  thrown  into  the 
sea.  An  inscription  on  the  column  shows  it  to  have  been 
erected,  some  contend  only  dedicated  anew,  by  Publius,  prefect 
of  Egypt  to  the  emperor  Diocletian.  The  monks  of  the  Coptic 
convent,  seen  in  the  view,  claim  still  to  possess  the  relics  of  St. 
Mark,  who  suffered  martyrdom  at  Alexandria,  and  whose  remains 
were  said  to  have  been  transported  to  Venice. 

Beyond  these  isolated  monuments  there  is  little  else  which 
might  seem  even  to  point  out  the  site  of  other  famous  struc- 
tures ; though  there  can  be  no  doubt  that,  if  the  city  increases, 
as  excavation  prevails,  further  discoveries  will  be  made,  some 
objects  of  great  value  having  been  already  dug  up.  The  cata- 

4 


26 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  ALEXANDRIA. 


combs,  to  the  west  of  the  city,  would  alone  testify  to  its  former 
extent,  though  only  one  of  the  monuments  merits  particular 
notice,  an  elegant  excavation  with  a Greek  facade  of  great 
purity  of  style. 

In  the  panorama  the  site  of  Caesar’s  camp  is  also  indicated, 
the  scene  of  the  engagement  where  fell  the  gallant  Aber- 
crombie ; and  a few  miles  farther,  in  the  same  direction,  is  the 
memorable  bay  of  Aboukir.  An  Englishman  is  in  little  danger 
of  forgetting  that,  in  addition  to  the  common  stock  of  historical 
associations  connected  with  Alexandria,  he  has  many  peculiar 
to  himself.  If  Shakspeare,  by  his  magical  creations,  could 
make  of  Venice  “ a fairy  city  of  the  heart the  same  potent 
enchanter  has  cast  his  spells  over  the  desolate  shore  of  the 
Bruchion — the  scene  of  the  luxury  and  despair  of  the  Egyptian 
queen  and  her  Roman  lover.  And  the  valor  of  England,  no 
less  than  her  genius,  has  hallowed  the  surrounding  land  and  sea 
with  a host  of  imperishable  recollections. 

The  ancient  and  modern  history  of  Alexandria  alone  would 
fill  a volume,  and  one,  too,  of  the  most  stirring  interest.  But 
this  is  altogether  beyond  our  province,  and  we  can  but  allude  to 
its  principal  vicissitudes.  Its  rapid  growth  and  the  splendor  it 
ultimately  attained  fully  justified  the  anticipations  of  the  Mace- 
donian conqueror.  Gradually  withdrawing  from  other  chan- 
nels, the  commerce  of  Arabia  and  India  with  the  West  flowed 
through  Egypt,  by  way  of  the  ports  of  the  Red  Sea,  the  Nile, 
and  the  ancient  canal  leading  to  this  unrivaled  emporium,  and 
continued  thus,  both  under  the  Ptolemies  and  the  Romans,  until 
the  discovery  of  the  passage  to  India  by  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope.  Science  also,  fostered  by  the  munificence  of  the  Ptole- 
mies, retired  from  her  ancient  seat  at  Heliopolis  to  this  city. 
“ The  sages  of  the  Museum,  who  lodged  in  that  part  of  the  pal- 
ace of  the  Lagides,  might  there  be  said  to  live  as  the  priests  of 
the  muses,  taking  the  word  in  a wide  sense,  as  the  patronesses 
of  knowledge.  They  had  gardens,  and  alleys,  and  galleries, 
where  they  walked  and  conversed  ; a common  hall,  where  they 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  LIBRARY. 


27 


made  their  repasts  ; and  public  rooms,  where  they'gave  instruc- 
tion to  the  youth  who  crowded  from  all  parts  of  the  world  to 
hear  their  lectures.  This  museum,  a unique  establishment  in 
literary  history,  was  founded  by  Ptolemy  Soter.  And  with 
regard  to  medicine,  mathematics,  mechanics,  and  astronomy, 
the  shades  of  the  greatest  modern  reformers  of  Europe  would 
surely  inform  us  that  science  can  not  look  back  too  gratefully 
to  the  memory  of  Alexandria.”*  The  celebrated  library  of  the 
Ptolemies’  collection,  ultimately  amounted  to  seven  hundred 
thousand  volumes;  four  hundred  thousand  were  contained  in 
the  library  of  this  museum,  the  remaining  three  hundred 
thousand  in  that  attached  to  the  temple  of  Serapis.f  The 
former  was  accidentally  destroyed  in  the  war  of  Julius  Caesar 
with  the  Alexandrians ; and  the  remaining  collection,  after 
various  losses  and  transmutations,  till  it  is  supposed  ultimately 
to  have  largely  consisted  rather  of  works  of  theological  con- 
troversy than  of  literature  and  science,  met  its  fate  at  the  hands 
of  the  fanatic  caliph  Omar,  at  the  time  of  the  Mohammedan 
conquest,  who  ordered  its  destruction,  on  the  ground  that  if  the 
contents  of  the  books  were  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God,  i.  e. 
the  Koran,  there  could  be  no  need  of  them,  and  if  the  contrary, 
they  ought  not  to  exist ; and  they  were  accordingly  used  for 
heating  the  four  thousand  baths  of  the  great  city  of  the  West, 
as  it  is  styled  by  Omar  in  his  letter  to  the  caliph,  which  then 
contained,  beside  four  thousand  palaces,  four  hundred  theaters 
or  places  of  amusement,  twelve  thousand  shops  for  the  sale  of 
vegetables,  and  forty  thousand  tributary  Jews. 

Rapidly,  indeed,  must  the  trade  and  wealth  of  Alexandria 
have  declined  under  the  combined  and  ruinous  disadvantages 
of  the  Moslem  rule,  and  the  new  course  of  the  Indian  trade, 
until  just  before  the  time  of  Mehemet  Ali,  when  it  was  a 
miserable  place  of  a few  thousand  inhabitants,  cut  off  from  the 
valley  of  the  Nile  by  the  ruin  of  the  ancient  canal.  Under  his 


* Campbell’s  Lectures. 


f Wilkinson. 


28  IMPROVEMENTS  BY  MEHEMET  ALI. 

government  it  has  greatly  revived  both  in  political  and  com- 
mercial importance,  and  the  re-opening  of  the  canal  has  re- 
stored to  its  harbor  all  the  trade  of  Egypt.  While  the  over- 
land communication  with  India,  if  it  has  not  brought  back  the 
whole  of  this  branch  of  commerce  into  its  old  channel,  seems  to 
open  up  prospects  of  increasing  interest  on  this  ground  also. 

To  the  traveler,  anxious  for  the  moment  which  shall  disclose 
to  him  the  wonders  of  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs,  Alexandria 
is  but  a dull  place,  though  in  the  way  of  society  there  are  more 
resources  than  elsewhere.  But  he  is  here  on  the  threshold  of 
Egypt,  which  he  is  impatient  to  overleap  and  proceed  onward. 
“ Though  the  rest  of  Egypt  was  governed  by  Egyptian  laws  and 
judges,”  says  Mr.  Sharpe,  “ the  city  of  Alexandria  was  under 
Macedonian  law.  It  did  not  form  part  of  the  name  of  Hermo- 
polites,  in  which  it  was  built.  It  scarcely  formed  a part  of 
Egypt,  but  was  a Greek  state  in  its  neighborhood,  holding 
the  Egyptians  in  a state  of  slavery.  In  that  city,  no  Egyptian 
could  live  without  feeling  himself  of  a conquered  race : he  was 
not  admitted  except  by  an  especial  favor  to  the  privileges  of 
Macedonian  citizenship,  while  they  were  at  once  granted  to 
every  Greek  and  to  every  Jew  who  would  settle  there.  Hence, 
although  the  city  was  crowded  with  Egyptians  who  kept  the 
shops  and  filled  the  lower  ranks,  and  though  the  Greeks  must 
often  have  married  Egyptian  wives,  yet  here  these  mixed  races 
were  never  melted  down  into  Egyptians.  Whenever,  during 
the  reigns  of  the  Ptolemies,  the  citizens  of  the  capital  of  Egypt 
met  in  public  assembly  in  the  Gymnasium,  they  were  addressed, 
“ Ye  men  of  Macedonia.” 

We  shall  not  pause  here  to  speak  of  the  modern  improve- 
ments by  Mehemet  Ali,  which  have  justly  excited  the  astonish- 
ment of  travelers.  The  new  palace,  the  arsenal,  the  numerous 
ships  of  war,  vying  in  appearance  at  least  with  the  proudest  of 
European  navies,  the  extension  of  the  fortifications,  &c.,  may 
well  demand  our  admiration  as  the  creation  of  one  man ; they 
have  but  these  trifling  drawbacks,  that  they  are  utterly  dispro- 


IMPROVEMENTS  BY  MEHEMET  ALL  29 

portionate  to  the  wants  and  means  of  Egypt,  hastily  got 
up  by  foreign  rather  than  native  energy,  at  the  expense  of  the 
heart’s  blood  of  the  country,  which  has  been  rapidly  depopulat- 
ing, and  utterly  draining  of  its  vital  resources,  till  the  unhappy 
population  have  sunk  to  the  lowest  depth  of  misery.  To  the 
superficial  observer,  Egypt  may  indeed  appear  to  be  about  to 
arise  from  her  long  depression,  and  to  assume  again  a rank 
among  the  nations ; but  the  spasmodic  effort  can  only  result 
in  a profound  exhaustion,  unless,  indeed,  a far  different  and 
humaner  system  were  pursued.  Perhaps  Mehemet  Ali  may 
be  said  rather  to  have  destroyed  than  built  up — destroyed, 
that  is,  what  remained  of  the  old  Mohammedan  system,  and, 
by  his  numerous  innovations,  prepared  the  way  for  the  con- 
struction of  a new.  Tottering,  as  he  is,  on  the  verge  of  the 
grave,  he  may  die,  perhaps,  while  these  sheets  are  going 
through  the  press  ;*  and  then  what  is  to  be  the  issue  of  all  his 
ambitious  schemes,  and  what  is  to  be  the  fate  of  Egypt  ? These 
are  questions  of  which  it  may  be  imprudent  to  hazard  just  now 
the  solution. 

* The  event  has  justified  this  anticipation — he  died  on  the  2d  of  August, 
1849. 


CHAPTER  II. 


DEPARTURE  FROM  ALEXANDRIA. THE  CANAL. — FIRST  IMPRESSIONS  OF  THE  NILE  VAL- 

LEY.— ITS  AGRICULTURE  AND  ANIMALS. — ANTIQUITY  OF  EGYPT. — SAIS  AND  NAUCRATIS. 

FIRST  SIGHT  OF  THE  PYRAMIDS. ARRIVAL  AT  CAIRO. 

On  a former  visit  to  Egypt,  before  the  introduction  of 
steamers  between  Alexandria  and  Cairo,  I was  compelled  to 
begin  my  troubles  at  the  former  city,  i.  e.  to  provide  myself 
with  a servant,  hire  a boat,  procure  carpet,  matress  and 
bedding,  lay  in  a store  of  provisions,  and  a “ batterie  de 
cuisine,”  with  a variety  of  minor  articles,  which  would  fill  a 
page  or  two  to  enumerate.  But  now,  as  opportunities  occur  by 
the  steamer  every  few  days,  and  as  a comfortable  hotel  awaits 
the  traveler’s  arrival  at  Cairo,  he  needs  not  to  encumber  him- 
self with  such  matters  beforehand,  unless,  indeed,  he  is  desirous 
of  hiring  a house  or  lodgings  at  the  metropolis.  There  is  so 
little  to  see  between  Alexandria  and  Cairo,  that  the  saving 
of  time  and  discomfort  by  steaming  is  very  great.  I have 
a feeling  remembrance  of  the  weary  hours  passed,  during  a 
former  journey  on  the  canal,  in  a huge,  slow-moving  Djerm, 
with  a crowded  company  of  the  lower  class  of  Egyptians, 
and  of  the  horrid  consequences  of  unavoidable  proximity  with 
their  filthy  persons  and  populous  garments.  Now  a clean 
and  comfortable  barge,  towed  by  a small  steamer,  in  a third  of 
the  time,  brings  you  to  Atfeh,  where  you  are  transferred  to 
another  snug  steamboat  waiting  for  you  on  the  Nile,  and  in 
about  twelve  hours  reach  Cairo.  This  canal,  seventy  miles  in 
length,  which  connects  the  port  of  Alexandria  with  the  Rosetta 


THE  CANAL  — MISERY  OF  THE  PEOPLE. 


31 


branch  of  the  Nile,  was  cut  in  1819,  by  Mehemet  Ali,  and 
is  a fair  sample  at  once  of  the  important  improvements  intro- 
duced by  him,  at  the  suggestion,  it  is  said,  of  Mr.  Briggs  ; and 
of  the  reckless,  despotic  haste,  bungling  mismanagement,  and 
even  cruel  indifference  to  the  claims  and  sufferings  of  his  sub- 
jects, with  which  they  are  effected.  A levy  was  ordered,  and 
three  hundred  thousand  men  were  gathered  on  the  scene  of 
action  ; but,  owing  to  the  want  of  a proper  supply  of  provisions, 
or  even  tools,  they  were  compelled  to  labor  with  their  hands. 
The  excavations  were  lower  than  the  level  of  the  sea, 
often  deep  in  the  mud,  and  thus,  without  adequate  food  or 
shelter  from  the  deleterious  atmosphere,  and  hurried  on  with 
barbarous  indifference  to  life,  thirty  thousand  are  said  to  have 
perished  in  the  course  of  the  seven  months  in  which  the  work 
was  completed.  The  canal,  dull  as  it  is,  is  somewhat  animated 
by  the  constant  passage  of  boats  laden  with  the  rich  produce 
of  the  Valley  of  the  Nile;  rice,  corn,  and  cotton,  for  shipment 
at  Alexandria — to  enrich  alone  the  grasping  ruler  and  a few 
merchants,  without  leaving  a trace  of  prosperity  or  comfort 
among  the  unhappy  people  from  whose  confiscated  lands  it 
is  reaped,  and  by  whose  ill -paid  labors  it  is  produced. 
There  is  little  to  see  on  its  banks  beyond  a distant  glimpse  of 
Aboukir  Bay.  One  is  weary,  even  before  reaching  the  Nile,  at 
the  characteristics  of  wretchedness  which  everywhere  meet  the 
eye, — at  the  universal  presence  of  the  squalid  mud  dwelling  or 
hovel  of  the  Fellah,  the  naked  filthy  children  basking  among 
hosts  of  yelping  dogs,  and  the  clamorous,  greasy,  blear- 
eyed  population,  whose  tattered  garments  seem  alive  with 
vermin, — at  the  disgusting  anomaly  of  men,  who,  when  engaged 
in  boating,  often  divest  themselves  of  every  rag,  while  the 
women,  veiled  to  the  eyes,  are  striving  to  hide  their  ugly  faces, 
— with  many  other  indescribable  spectacles,  which  indicate 
too  plainly  the  absence  of  ordinary  decency  in  a degraded 
people.  In  vain  you  look  for  the  presence  of  any  middle 
order ; with  few  exceptions,  all  appear  alike,  there  is  but  one 


32 


FIRST  IMPRESSIONS  OF  THE  NILE. 


class,  and  that  sunk  in  a wide-spreading,  dead  uniformity  of 
misery, — all  indicates  the  existence  of  a race  of  slaves,  who  owe 
to  kind  nature,  to  the  lightsome  temperament  induced  by  the 
serenity  of  the  climate,  and  the  few  wants  it  occasions,  the  only 
mitigation  of  their  unhappy  condition,  of  which  misgovern- 
ment  and  tyranny  are  unable  to  deprive  them. 

Notwithstanding  the  very  great  conveniences  enjoyed  in 
traveling  by  a steamer,  I shall  always  rejoice  that  my  first 
impressions  on  the  Nile  were  received  in  another  kind  of  craft. 
I arrived  at  Atfeh,  where  the  canal  joins  the  river,  in  the 
evening,  and  found  a small  boat  belonging  to  the  then  existing 
Transit  Company,  newly  painted  and  fitted.  A servant  was 
on  board  to  provide  for  and  attend  the  hirer.  Though  it 
could  not  be  deemed  an  economical  conveyance,  it  was,  for  the 
size,  exceedingly  comfortable,  and  fitted  with  every  requisite 
save  bedding,  which  I had  with  me.  It  had,  moreover,  the 
honorable  distinction  of  being  the  fastest  sailer  on  the  river, 
as  I soon  perceived,  to  my  great  satisfaction,  by  leaving  every- 
thing behind.  Happily,  I had  not  yet  learned  the  trifling 
drawback  to  this  advantage  which  afterward  came  to  light, 
that  from  its  sharp  build  and  the  heavy  press  of  sail  that  it 
carried,  it  had  been  more  than  once  capsized. 

I hastened  on  board ; the  sun  had  sunk  and  given  place  to  a 
rosy  twilight,  and  the  moon  peeped  up  above  the  rich  level  of 
the  Delta.  And  here  I must  notice,  that  what  reconciles  the 
traveler  to  this  land  of  plagues — of  flies  and  beggars,  of  dogs 
and  dust  and  vermin,  is  not  alone  the  monumental  wonders  on 
the  banks  of  the  Nile,  but  the  beauty  of  the  climate,  the 
lightness  of  the  air,  inspiring  a genial  luxury  of  sensation, 
the  glorious  unfailing  sunset  and  serene  twilight,  reflected  in 
the  noble  river,  and  casting  over  the  hoary  remains  of  antiquity 
a glow  and  gorgeousness  of  hue  which  heightens  their  melan- 
choly grandeur,  and  gilding  over  a mud  village  until  even 
its  filth  and  misery  are  forgotten.  I mounted  the  roof  of  the 
little  cabin  as  the  broad  latine  sail  swelled  smoothly  under  the 


A DEAD  CALM. 


33 


pressure  of  the  Etesian  wind,  which,  at  this  season  of  the 
inundation,  by  a wonderful  provision  of  nature,  blows  steadily 
from  the  north,  thus  alone  enabling  vessels  to  stem  the 
powerful  current  of  the  rising  Nile.  I had  embarked  on  that 
ancient  and  sacred  river,  renewing  before  my  eyes  its  majestic 
current,  diffusing  the  same  blessings  to  its  rich  valley  as  it  had 
done  in  the  days  when  Egypt  was  a mighty  kingdom,  when 
Thebes  and  Memphis  and  the  pyramids  arose  upon  its  borders. 
The  rich  fans  of  the  plume-like  palms  on  the  banks  were 
painted  on  the  warm  glow  of  the  westward  horizon,  the  level 
valley  with  its  wealth  of  production  spread  away  in  dusky 
haze,  but  the  breeze  brought  off  from  the  shore  its  odorous 
musky  fragrance,  lamps  twinkled  in  the  cottages,  and  cast  their 
reflections  into  the  glassy  stream — the  noise  and  babble  of  the 
Fellahs,  and  sounds  of  the  Darrabuka,  or  Egyptian  drum, 
came  off  and  died  away  as  we  sailed  past  the  villages  on  the 
bank.  The  boat,  with  her  broad  sails  and  her  long  wake 
whitening  in  the  moon,  and  her  Arab  crew,  lying  upon  deck, 
chanting  their  peculiar  and  plaintive  songs,  flew  rapidly  along 
through  those  historic  waters.  I sat  up  to  a late  hour,  so 
delightful  was  my  first  impression  of  the  patriarch  of  rivers. 

But  on  the  following  morning  the  scene  was  wholly  changed. 
On  awaking,  we  were  close  to  the  alluvial  chocolate-colored 
bank,  the  rich  deposit  of  countless  inundations,  and  the  crew 
on  shore  were  engaged  in  the  toilsome  task  of  tracking  or 
hauling  the  boat,  (a  process  represented  on  the  ancient  sculp- 
tures,) to  the  music  of  a monotonous  chant,  which  they  seemed 
scarce  able  to  utter.  There  was  not  a bi'eath  of  air,  and  the 
warm,  soft,  cloudless  sky  was  reflected  back  from  the  glassy 
surface  of  the  broad  yellow  river.  The  heat  was  close  and 
overpowering.  Hours  like  these,  of  which  the  traveler  on  the 
Nile  must  make  up  his  mind  to  not  a few,  are  indeed  awfully 
wearisome.  It  is  too  hot  to  go  on  shore  and  walk  through  the 
deep  dust  of  the  unsheltered  bank,  and  cooped  up  and  panting 
for  breath  in  the  narrow  cabin  of  your  boat,  you  seem  doomed, 

5 


34 


MOSQUITOES  AND  FLIES. 


ere  the  ardors  of  noon  abate,  to  be  roasted  alive,  like  a crab  in 
its  own  shell.  Everything  inspires  listless,  restless,  irritable 
ennui,  only  to  be  alleviated,  if  haply  at  all,  by  the  fumes  of  the 
consoling  pipe.  It  is  well  if,  when  thus  becalmed  and  panting 
in  a Nile  boat,  you  are  exempt  (as  from  the  recent  painting  and 
cleansing  of  mine  was  happily  my  case)  from  the  company  of 
bugs,  fleas,  cockroaches,  and  other  creatures  more  minute  and 
“ familiar  to  man.”  But  to  the  incursions  of  flies  and  mosqui- 
toes you  lie  helplessly  exposed.  The  former,  stingless  though 
they  be,  may  fairly  take  the  lead  as  the  principal  of  Egypt’s 
plagues,  and  at  the  bare  recollection  of  past  sufferings  one 
cannot  help  being  animated  with  a feeling  of  vengeance.  • Their 
name  is  legion.  You  can  neither  eat  nor  drink  without  the 
risk  of  swallowing  them,  nor  doze,  or  read,  or  draw,  without 
a constant  trial  of  temper  from  their  incessant  trailing  over 
your  eyes  and  ears  and  nostrils.  The  natives,  being  used 
to  it,  contrive  to  drop  off  into  an  uneasy  slumber,  but  for 


a new-comer  this  is  a hopeless  attempt.  You  sit  all  day 
with  a fly-switch  in  your  hand,  and  though  a dozen  times 
you  rise  in  murderous  mood,  and  clear  the  walls  of  the 


THE  PLAGUES  OF  EGYPT. 


35 


cabin  with  wholesale  slaughter,  a few  moments  afterward 
they  blacken  its  panels  as  before,  and  you  piteously  invoke 
the  breeze  which  would  perhaps  disperse  the  buzzing  swarm 
of  your  mud-born  tormentors,  or,  peradventure,  waft  you 
beyond  their  reach.  In  the  fat  slime  of  the  Delta  they  are 
particularly  numerous  and  active.  I was  told  by  a friend,  who 
one  evening  pitched  his  tent  on  this  rich  level,  that  in  addition 
to  these  plagues,  he  was  visited  by  a numerous  company  of 
toads,  which  he  kicked  out  of  his  tent  without  much  ceremony. 
One,  however,  was  accidentally  left  behind;  upon  which,  re- 
cumbent on  his  carpet  in  the  midst  of  a tormenting  swarm  of 
flies  and  mosquitoes,  the  traveler’s  eye  mechanically  rested. 
The  creature,  ‘ perdu’  in  his  nook,  was  deeply  intent  on  snap- 
ping up  fly  after  fly  as  they  darted  past  his  open  maw ; upon 
which  sight  my  friend  immediately  arose,  and  drove  in  again 
the  whole  company  of  the  toads,  in  the  hope  of  some  trifling 
diminution,  through  their  exertions,  of  the  number  of  his  petty 
tormentors.  In  addition  to  these,  equally  to  be  dreaded  ashore 
or  afloat,  many  and  sore  are  the  land  plagues  peculiar  to  Egypt, 
and  no  one  who  has  been  accustomed  to  a northern  climate 
and  a civilized  country,  can  form  any  adequate  idea  of  the 
annoyance  they  occasion.  The  troops  of  clamorous  beggars, 
their  eternal  chorus  for  ‘ beckshish,’  which  everywhere  encoun- 
ters the  traveler, — the  alarming  results  of  contact  with  the 
tattered  garments  and  filthy  persons  of  the  claimants, — the 
eternal  howling  of  dogs  by  which  he  is  everywhere  beset, 
some  of  which  are  savage  and  dangerous, — the  whirlwinds  of 
hot  suffocating  dust  amid  which  he  must  grope  his  way  to 
tomb  and  temple,  irritate  alike  his  eyes,  lungs,  and  temper, 
and  too  often  convert  his  enthusiasm  to  fury. 

There  is  much  that  is  at  first  amusing  even  on  the  lower 
Nile,  though  the  scenery  is,  on  the  whole,  somewhat  monoto- 
nous. The  villages  of  mud  huts,  embowered  in  palm  groves 
that  line  the  bank,  with  their  pretty  white  minarets,  and  their 
noisy  babbling  crowd  of  Fellahs, — the  glimpses  of  the  vivid 


36 


SCENE  UPON  THE  RIVER. 


green  valley  and  its  yellow  desert  boundary,  like  life  and 
death  in  startling  juxtaposition  and  contrast, — the  sandy  shoals 
covered  with  pelicans  or  ibises  of  brilliant  white  plumage, 
large  flights  of  wild  fowls  and  of  pigeons  from  the  villages, — the 
picturesque  boats  with  their  .gay-colored  passengers, — the 
men  paddling  along  on  rafts  of  water-melons  or  pottery, — the 
little  thronged  cafes  under  the  deep  shade  of  a grove  of  syca- 
more and  palms, — the  creaking  ‘ Sakias,’  or  water-wheels  used 
for  the  purpose  of  irrigation,  all  form  a sort  of  slow,  moving 
panorama,  which,  seen  under  a brilliant  sky,  by  their  lively 
novelty,  serve  to  amuse  for  a while  the  tedium  of  our  noonday 
progress.  Though  the  characteristics  of  the  scene  have  never 
materially  changed,  the ' river  must  have  been  infinitely  more 
lively  in  former  times,  and  the  boats  innumerable,  from  the  state 
vessels  of  the  kings  and  principal  personages,  with  their  high 
prows,  hieroglyphic  inscriptions,  banks  of  oars,  and  brilliantly 
painted  and  richly  ornamented  sails,  down  to  the  ordinary  pas- 
sage boat  for  the  humbler  classes.  These  sails,  unlike  the  present 
triangular  ones,  were  square,  and  more  safe  and  manageable. 
The  crowd  upon  the  banks  must  have  been  incessant,  with 
chariots  and  horsemen.  Each  village  then  was  grouped  around 
its  elegant  temple  amid  groves  of  palm.  The  extensive  villas 
of  the  richer  inhabitants,  in  a style  half  gay,  half  grave,  with 
gardens  and  vineyai'ds — now  unknown  to  Egypt,  studded  the 
plain,  which  was,  beside,  in  a far  higher  state  of  cultivation 
than  at  the  present  day.  Then  there  were  the  costumes  of  the 
different  castes,  and  their  infinite  variety  of  avocations,  to  add 
to  the  life  and  beauty  of  the  picture  in  the  Pharaonic  ages.  ’A 
light  uncertain  breeze  sometimes  relieved  the  boatmen  from  their 
laborious  tracking,  but  it  was  not  till  afternoon  that  some  real 
stormy  puffs  indicated  the  approach  of  the  favoring  Etesian 
breeze.  The  coming  on  of  the  sudden  gusts  on  the  Nile  is  at 
first  very  startling  and  alarming ; no  action  of  driving  clouds 
accompanies  the  squall,  the  sky  above  is  perfectly  serene,  but, 
looking  across  the  desert  in  the  direction  of  the  wind,  you  see 


ANTIQUITY  OF  EGYPT. 


37 


tall  columns  of  dust  and  sand,  sometimes  six  or  seven  hundred 
feet  in  height,  whirling  sublimely  across  the  desert,  rapidly 
crossing  the  alluvial  valley,  and  nearing  the  river,  till  the  whole 
cloud,  sweeping  off  the  bank,  involves  the  ruffled  surface  of 
the  stream  in  temporary  obscurity,  and  half  buries  the  boat  on 
the  leeward  side.  Without  the  utmost  attention,  indeed,  there 
is  great  danger  of  suddenly  capsizing,  as  indeed  often  happens, 
when  the  boatmen  are  too  negligent  to  keep  the  rope,  by  which 
the  huge  sails  are  attached  to  the  side,  loose  in  their  hand, 
so  as  to  let  it  fly  if  the  gust  is  dangerously  violent. 

With  the  afternoon  the  breeze  set  in,  and  we  sailed  merrily 
along,  passing  one  or  two  downward-bound  boats,  crammed 
almost  to  suffocation  with  a noisy  motley  crowd,  in  bright 
colored  costumes,  proceeding  to  the  neighboring  festival 
at  Tanta,  in  commemoration  of  the  birth  of  the  Seyd  Ahmad 
El-Bedawee,  a celebrated  Moslem  saint ; a scene  of  license 
greatly  resembling  the  ancient  Egyptian  Saturnalia ; for  the 
extremes  of  fanaticism  and  sensual  indulgence  are  wont  to  be 
combined  in  both  ancient  and  modern  instances.  Soon  after 
arriving  in  Cairo,  I heard  of  the  loss  of  one  of  these  very  boats 
in  a squall,  having,  as  the  rumor  went,  some  two  or  three  hun- 
dred persons  on  board,  of  whom  the  greater  part  went  down. 
But  such  occurrences,  though  by  no  means  unfrequent,  occa- 
sion small  concern  in  a land  where  the  penny-a-line  trade  in 
‘ moving  accidents’  has  no  existence,  and  where  coroner’s 
inquests  are  unknown. 

One  soon  seems  to  breathe  the  air  of  profound  antiquity  on 
the  banks  of  the  Nile.  We  were  now  sailing  near  the  sites  of 
Naucratis  and  Sais,  important  settlements  of  Greek  traders, 
who,  from  the  earliest  ages,  carried  on  the  chief  part  of  the 
Egyptian  trade  in  the  Mediterranean.  For  the  Egyptians, 
says  Mr.  Sharpe,  like  the  Hindoos,  looked  upon  the  sea  and 
voyages  by  sea  with  religious  dread,  and  they  held  seafaring 
persons  in  dislike  as  impious.  These  Greeks  lived  under  their 
own  laws  and  customs,  and  obtained  many  privileges  of  the 


38 


SAIS  AND  NAUCRATIS. 


Egyptian  kings.  The  inhabitants  of  Naucratis  were  allowed 
to  build  temples  for  their  own  religion,  which  were  erected  at 
the  expense  of  their  countrymen  in  Greece.  The  overthrow  of 
this  little  state  probably  took  place  in  the  reign  of  Amunmai 
Anemnib,  and  the  chiefs  driven  out  of  Egypt  carried  with  them 
to  Greece  so  much  that  was  valuable  of  Egyptian  science  and 
civilization,  that  many  of  the  Grecian  cities  dated  their  founda- 
tion from  their  arrival.  They  gave  to  Greece  its  alphabet  and 
its  mythology,  and  so  willing  were  the  Greeks  at  all  times 
to  look  back  to  Lower  Egypt  as  the  birth-place  of  their  civiliza- 
tion, that  instead  of  seeing  that  a handful  of  Greeks  had  in  old 
times  settled  in  the  Delta,  they  thought  Athens  itself  a colony 
from  Sais.  Thus  at  this  period  of  Egyptian  history,  when  we 
have  traced  the  chronology  of  Theban  kings  for  perhaps  six 
hundred  years,  we  are  only  entering  on  the  fabulous  ages  of 
Greece.  About  four  generations  before  the  Trojan  war,  Sais 
became  the  seat  of  government  instead  of  Thebes,  under  the 
last  of  the  Ethiopian  kings  who  conquered  Egypt.  It  was  in 
the  decline  of  her  greatness,  when  her  own  valor  was  sunk, 
and  the  Egyptian  monarchs  sought  for  the  aid  of  Greek 
mercenaries.  The  kings  of  Sais  were  in  fact  as  much  Greek  as 
Egyptian.  Under  their  protection  the  sages  of  Greece  visited 
Egypt  in  search  of  knowledge.  Of  these,  Thales  was  the  first. 
Solon  soon  afterward  came  to  Naucratis  as  a merchant,  bring- 
ing the  olive  oil  of  Athens  to  exchange  for  the  corn  of  Egypt 
and  the  luxuries  of  India ; and  while  thus  engaged,  studied  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  country.  After  selling  his  cargo, 
he  visited  Sais,  and  conversed  with  Egyptian  priests.  They 
called  the  Greeks  mere  children  of  yesterday,  and  professed  to 
have  a knowledge  of  the  last  nine  thousand  years.  Solon  re- 
turned to  Athens  with  his  mind  enriched,  and  the  Athenians 
were  then  establishing  their  democratic  form  of  government, 
and  Solon  became  their  great  philosophical  lawgiver.  Neith, 
the  Egyptian  Minerva,  was  principally  worshiped  at  Sais,  and 
it  was  celebrated  for  its  splendid  festival  “of  the  Sacred  Lamps.” 


ASPECT  OF  THE  NILE  VALLEY. 


39 


The  general  characteristics  of  this  wonderful  Nile  valley  are 
so  well  known,  that  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  dwell  at  much 
length  on  them.  From  ‘far  Syene’  and  the  rocky  outposts  of 
Nubia  to  the  rich  level  of  the  Delta,  the  river  preserves  much 
the  same  breadth,  of  half  a mile  to  three  quarters,  unless  where 
its  course  is  interrupted  by  islands,  or  contracted  by  rocks. 
On  either  hand  is  a green  stripe  of  verdure,  extending  to  the 
limit  of  the  waters ; beyond  is  the  illimitable  desert.  At  this 
season  the  swollen  stream  comes  down  with  great  rapidity, 
and,  at  the  angles  of  the  banks,  the  current  is  so  powerful  as  to 
require  the  efforts  of  all  the  crew  to  tow  the  boat  against  it. 
With  the  north  wind  a complete  sea  gets  up.  The  cultivated 
land  is  adorned  principally  by  groves  of  palm — the  great  beauty 
of  Egypt — sometimes  of  considerable  extent,  at  others  thinly 
scattered  ; here  and  there  too  is  a dark  cluster  of  sycamores,  or  a 
grove  of  fragrant  acacia,  haunted  by  thousands  of  birds.  The 
great  thoroughfare  all  up  the  river  is  along  its  bank,  raised 
above  the  level  of  the  inundation,  and  throwing  off  here  and 
there  a branch  communicating  with  the  villages  remote  from 
the  river.  There  is  a melancholy  sameness  in  these  wretched 
mud  villages  and  small  towns,  built  amid  raised  mounds  of 
rubbish  and  filth  which  the  wind  scatters  in  clouds  into  every 
cranny  of  the  place — a prominent  Egyptian  plague,  as  thei'e  is 
also  in  the  abject  population  wrho  inhabit  them  ; the  women,  in 
particular,  beautiful  for  a brief  year  or  two  of  girlhood,  become 
tanned  by  the  heat,  and  dried  up  by  the  climate  and  the  hard 
toils  to  which  they  are  subjected,  till  they  become  unspeakably 
hideous  crones,  whose  aspect  inspires  a shudder  of  disgust. 

At  evening,  when  the  breeze  lulled  for  a w'hile,  I went 
ashore  in  a grove  of  palms,  and  looked  over  the  verdant  level 
glowing  in  the  slanting  beams  of  the  declining  sun.  The  rich 
brown  soil  in  the  dry  season,  and  when  the  river  is  low, 
requires  irrigation  to  maintain  its  constant  fertility.  The 

method  adopted  in  Lower  Egypt  is,  as  represented  in  the  cut, 
to  sink  a pit  in  the  bank,  into  which  the  water  flows,  and  it  is 


40 


THE  INUNDATION. 


then  raised,  for  this  purpose,  to  the  surface  above  by  means  of 
a broad  wheel  turned  by  a buffalo ; round  the  wheel  is  a band 
with  numerous  jars  attached  to  it,  which,  as  the  wheel  revolves, 
dip  into  and  bring  up  the  water,  emptying  it  into  a channel, 
from  which  it  is  distributed  in  trenches  about  the  thirsty  level. 
Thus  irrigated,  it  will  yield  annually  three  crops ; being  first 
sown  with  wheat  or  barley ; a second  time,  after  the  vernal 
equinox,  with  indigo,  cotton,  millet,  or  some  similar  produce ; 
and  again,  about  the  summer  solstice,  with  millet  or  maize. 
These,  and  the  numerous  fruits  and  vegetables  which  succeed 
one  another  in  similar  succession,  render  the  rich  valley  of  the 
Nile  a carpet  of  perpetual  verdure,  except  during  the  period  of 
the  inundation,  and  justify  the  description  of  it  given  by  Amer, 
its  Arabian  conqueror,  that  “ according  to  the  change  of 
seasons,  it  is  adorned  with  a silver  wave,  a verdant  emerald, 
and  the  deep  yellow  of  a golden  harvest !”  The  river 
begins  to  rise  about  the  end  of  June,  and  attains  its 
greatest  height  toward  the  end  of  September;  its  waters 
are  retained,  as  the  inundation  subsides,  in  numerous  canals, 
for  the  highest  rise  of  the  Nile  ever  known  would  scarcely 
be  sufficient,  if  the  waters  were  not  then  artificially  re- 


DEIFICATION  OF  THE  NILE. 


41 


tained.*  When  the  river  has  attained  its  maximum,  very 
singular  is  the  appearance  of  the  whole  country.  On  the 
high-raised  bank  you  stand,  as  it  were,  between  two  seas,  be- 
holding on  one  side  the  swollen,  turbid  flood,  hurrying  down 
rapidly  in  its  irresistible  might,  and  on  the  other,  the  inundated 
expanse,  extending  to  the  desert  boundary  of  the  valley ; the 
isolated  villages  in  their  groves  are  scattered  about  like  float- 
ing islands,  the  palm-trees  half-buried,  and,  except  in  a few 
places,  the  Gise,  or  dike,  affords  the  sole  circuitous  communi- 
cation from  one  place  to  another.  As  it  begins  to  fall,  the 
sower,  wading  into  the  mud,  literally  “ casts  his  bi'ead  upon 
the  waters”  which  cover  the  recent  and  still  liquid  deposit ; 
when  the  water  drains  off  from  particular  places,  a carpet  of  the 
most  vivid  green  immediately  follows  in  its  train,  and  the 
face  of  the  land  glows  with  a new-created  beauty.  The  level 
of  the  alluvial  land,  as  well  as  the  bed  of  the  river,  are  gradu- 
ally raised,  so  that  the  constant  aggression  of  the  sandy 
desert  on  the  fertile  valley,  from  which  some  have  anticipated 
the  ultimate  destruction  of  the  latter,  is,  though  triumphant  at 
some  points,  continually  counteracted  in  the  main,  by  the 
eternally-vivifying  influence  of  the  waters.  The  river  to  whose 
beneficent  agency  the  ancient  Egyptians  owed  their  greatness, 
was,  with  their  characteristic  reverence  of  spirit,  regarded  by 
them  as  peculiarly  sacred.  “ The  god  Nilus,”  says  Wilkinson, 
“ is  frequently  represented  with  water-plants  growing  from  his 
head,  and  binding  up  stalks  or  flowers  indicative  of  the  inunda- 
tion. Sometimes  he  bears  fruits  and  flowers,  emblematic  of  its 
fertilizing  influence.  In  all  the  cities  on  the  banks  of  the  river 
certain  priests  were  exclusively  appointed  to  the  service  of  this 
deity ; and  if  a corpse  were  found  upon  the  sacred  shore,  the 
nearest  town  was  obliged  to  embalm  and  bury  it  with  every 
mark  of  honor.”  The  water  of  the  Nile,  turbid  and  muddy, 
seems  little  at  first  to  merit  the  praises  lavished  on  it ; its  ap- 
pearance is  disgusting,  and  its  taste  at  first  insipid,  the  temper- 

* Mrs.  Poole. 

6 


42 


ANIMALS  OF  EGYPT. 


ature  being  rather  warm,  but  by  degrees  one  comes  to  relish  it 
beyond  any  other,  and  to  drink  more  of  it  than  is  prudent. 
The  ordinary  mode  of  cooling  it  is  in  jars  of  porous  clay  called 
‘ Goollehs,’  the  best  of  which  are  made  at  Keneh  in  Upper 
Egypt.  Among  the  brackish  springs  of  the  desert,  Esau,  had 
he  hut  once  tasted  of  the  Nile,  would  far  rather  have  bartered 
his  birthright  for  a draught  of  its  delicious  beverage  than 
for  his  mess  of  lentile  pottage. 

The  animals  chiefly  seen  on  the  river’s  banks,  are  the  camel, 
ass,  and  buffalo.  The  camel,  which  in  the  level  valley  of  the 
Nile  attains  unusual  size  and  stoutness  of  limb,  is  now  the 
common  beast  of  burden,  both  for  agricultural  and  other  pur- 
poses. It  is  singular,  says  Gliddon,  that  the  introduction  of 
this  animal  should  have  been  comparatively  recent.  But  it 
must  doubtless  have  always  existed  in  the  interior  of  Asia  ; it 
figured  upon  the  sculptures  of  Nineveh,  although  not  represent- 
ed on  any  Egyptian  monuments  of  the  pyramidal  period.  The 
horse,  though  not  common  on  the  monuments,  appears  in  use  with 
chariots  after  the  twelfth  dynasty.  The  Egyptian  buffalo  is  of 
uncouth,  unwieldy  appearance,  dingy  black  in  color,  the  neck 
set  lower  than  the  back,  and  the  head  furnished  with  large  flat 
horns  thrown  back  like  those  of  goats  or  sheep.  Their  aspect 
is  sullen  and  ferocious,  hut,  unless  startled,  they  are  perfectly 
gentle.  You  see  them  advancing  along  the  bank  with  a small 
hoy  perched  on  their  hump.  They  yield  a considerable 
quantity  of  milk,  and  subsist  on  the  coarse  rushy  grass  which 
covers  the  dry  hank  of  the  river.  Wilkinson  observes,  that  he 
has  met  with  no  representation  of  the  buffalo  among  the  monu- 
ments, but  from  its  being  indigenous  in  Abyssinia  and  com- 
mon in  the  country,  he  infers  that  it  was  not  unknown  to  the 
ancient  Egyptians.  Whole  herds  of  these  animals  are  seen,  as 
before  stated,  in  the  heat  of  noon,  so  immersed  in  the  river, 
that  little  but  their  noses  and  the  tops  of  their  heads  are  visible  ; 
sometimes  they  slide  fairly  into  it,  and  have  to  be  rescued  by 
the  owner,  who,  plunging  in,  directs  their  heads  against  the 


THE  ANCIENT  EGYPTIANS. 


43 


rapid  current,  until  they  regain  a footing.  The  ass,  which  in 
Egypt  is  far  superior  in  size  and  spirit  to  the  neglected  breed 
in  Europe,  is  used  for  riding  by  the  lower  orders  of  the 
natives,  as  well  as  by  all  Europeans  who  are  not  in  the  employ 
of  government. 

While  we  thus  find  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile  animals  not 
represented  in  the  ancient  sculptures,  we  find,  on  the  other 
hand,  that  some  plants  conspicuous  there  have  disappeared. 
Such  is  the  rose-colored  lotus,  the  beautiful  form  of  which 
suggested  the  elegant  shafts  and  capitals  of  the  columnar  archi- 
tecture ; and  the  invaluable  papyrus,  the  paper  of  the  ancient 
Egyptians.  This  disappearance  has  led  to  the  belief  that  these 
and  other  plants  found  even  now  in  Egypt,  were  not  in- 
digenous in  the  lower  Nile  valley,  but  brought  down  the  Nile 
from  above  Ethiopia,  or  elsewhere,  by  the  former  inhabitants  of 
the  country. 

Whence  indeed  came  the  ancient  Egyptians  themselves,  and 
who  are  their  descendants  ? are  questions  which  have  led  to 
much  discussion,  and  are  by  no  means  settled  at  the  present 
day.  The  results  of  an  examination  of  one  hundred  Egyptian 
crania,  collected  from  different  parts  of  Egypt,  furnished  by 
Mr.  G.  Gliddon  to  Dr.  S.  G.  Morton  of  Philadelphia,  seemed 
to  establish  that  the  predominant  race  was  Caucasian  in 
origin : out  of  fifty-five  skulls,  the  Pelasgic,  or  purest  type, 
being  ten ; the  Egyptian,  which  differs  from  the  former  in 
having  a narrower  and  more  receding  forehead,  and  the  facial 
angle  more  prominent,  thirty ; and  the  remainder  of  a mixed 
and  Negroid  type  of  African  derivation.  This  view  of  the 
Asiatic  origin  of  the  great  race  who  settled  in  Egypt,  might 
seem  to  be  confirmed  by  the  apparent  progress  of  civilization 
from  north  to  south,  up  the  valley  of  the  Nile,  and  by  the  fact 
that  the  most  ancient  monuments  are  found  in  Lower  Egypt. 
Mr.  Morton  is  said,  however,  to  have  altered  his  views,  and  to 
lean  to  the  theory  of  an  indigenous  African  race  in  the  Nile 
valley,  though  in  the  course  of  ages  a certain  degree  of  modifica- 


44 


ARRIVAL  AT  CAIRO. 


tion  would  take  place  by  fusion  with  the  different  races  who  con- 
quered Egypt — the  Ethiopians,  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  and 
the  Arabians.  This  view  is  after  all  perhaps  the  most  probable, 
for  in  all  the  sculptures  there  is  more  or  less  of  a decidedly 
African  type.  The  Copts  are  generally  considered  to  be  the 
most  direct  descendants  of  the  ancient  Egyptians  ; while  others, 
Dr.  Morton,  for  instance,  regard  the  present  Fellahs  as  more 
justly  entitled  to  this  distinction.  The  opinion  of  an  Ethiopian 
and  not  an  Asiatic  origin  for  the  Egyptians  and  their  civiliza- 
tion, has  been  maintained  by  many  scholars ; and  in  accordance 
with  this  belief  the  pyramids  of  Meroe  have  been  cited  as 
earlier  than  those  of  Memphis,  but  recent  examination  has 
rectified  this  erroneous  impression. 

After  passing  the  fork  of  the  Delta,  where  the  Damietta 
branch  of  the  Nile  joins  that  of  Rosetta,  and  the  spot  where  the 
works  of  the  1 barrage,’  or  plan  for  damming  up  the  waters  of 
the  Nile,  so  as  more  effectually  to  irrigate  the  Delta,  are  now 
in  operation,  we  first  caught  sight  of  the  mighty  pyramids. 
How  familiar  and  yet  how  strange  they  appeared — hovering 
afar  in  dusky  grandeur  upon  the  edge  of  the  yellow  Libyan 
desert — overlooking  the  green  valley  of  the  Nile!  Like  the 
first  far-off  glimpse  of  the  Alps,  it  is  a sensation  there  is  no 
describing  nor  forgetting.  And  soon  after,  ages  apart  as  it 
were  from  these  memorials  of  the  early  Egyptian  kings,  the 
fantastic  minarets  of  Cairo,  built  by  the  Arab  conquerors  of 
their  fallen  empire,  peeped  forth,  on  the  other  side  of  the  river, 
from  amid  a luxuriant  mass  of  palm-groves  and  gardens, 
answering  in  every  respect  to  our  conceptions  of  a perfect 
oriental  city,  a few  new  factories  built  by  Mehemet  Ali 
being  the  only  signs  of  modern  innovation.  Passing  the  pasha’s 
villa  at  Shoubra,  connected  with  the  capital  by  a fine  avenue  of 
trees,  we  soon  reached  the  busy  quays  of  Boulak,  the  port  of 
Cairo.  The  shore  was  lined  with  kiosques  and  coffee-houses 
full  of  indolent  smokers,  and  crowds  of  camels  and  asses  with 
most  vociferous  drivers.  Vast  heaps  of  corn,  the  wealth  of  the 


ARRIVAL  AT  CAIRO. 


45 


Nile  valley,  lay  upheaped  ready  for  shipment,  warehousing 
being  unnecessary  in  this  dry  soil  and  clime.  An  immense 
number  of  barks,  from  the  heavy  Djerms,  or  cargo  boats,  to  the 
light  and  graceful  Kangias  for  passengers,  lined  the  alluvial 
bank,  or  flitted  up  and  down  the  river.  Into  the  midst  of  these 
we  thrust  our  pointed  prow,  got  out  our  chattels,  and,  after 
much  angry  uproar,  got  them  loaded  upon  a camel ; which 
business  being  at  length  happily  over,  I mounted  a donkey, 
and  galloped  through  the  suburbs  to  Cairo. 


I 


CHAPTER  III. 

CAIRO. SITUATION. CHARACTERISTICS. STREE  TS. BAZAARS. ARABIAN  MONUMENTS. 

MOSQUES. GATES,  TOMBS,  AND  PRIVATE  DWELLINGS. 

H ere  then  we  are  in  “ the  Great  A1  Cairo,”  as  Milton  calls 
it,  the  city  of  Saladin  and  of  the  Arabian  Nights,  crea- 
tions which,  once  so  fanciful  and  visionary,  seem  to  kindle 
into  life  and  reality  as  we  gaze  upon  every  object  that  sur- 
rounds us.  The  apartment  we  sit  in  is  decorated  with  mysteri- 
ous arabesque  lattices  instead  of  glass  windows  ; ample  luxuri- 
ous divans  heaped  with  cushions,  replace  our  stiff  chairs  and 
sofas ; instead  of  the  roll  of  coaches  and  the  sound  of  bells,  we 
hear  but  the  solemn  and  mournful  invocation  to  prayer  from 
the  balcony  of  some  minaret,  or  the  wild,  shrill,  guttural  cries 
of  the  Arabian  women  accompanying  a marriage  or  a funeral. 
Every  sight  and  every  sound  reminds  us  that  we  are  in  the 
midst  of  a different  race  and  different  manners — associated  with 
our  earliest  and  most  romantic  impressions. 

The  characteristic  difference,  as  it  seems  to  me,  between 
Eastern  and  Western  life,  is  the  comparatively  unalterable 
nature  of  the  former.  The  population  of  our  own  land  are 
constantly  modified  by  the  changes  of  flexible  and  advancing 
civilization.  We  look  back  two  hundred  years  like  antiquaries, 
to  wonder  at  our  picturesque  ancestors.  But  the  civilization 
and  customs  of  the  East,  and  the  religion  of  the  Koran,  admit- 
ting no  light  from  the  growth  of  liberty  or  the  diffusion  of 
science,  seem  comparatively  unsusceptible  of  change  or  modifi- 
cation ; and  having  once  attained  a fixed  type,  remain  until  the 


HISTORY  OF  CAIRO. 


47 


force  of  outward  events  brings  about  their  inevitable  downfall. 
Thus,  though  there  may  be  a diminution  of  wealth,  Cairo  is, 
in  all  substantial  respects,  what  it  was  at  the  first,  and  we  seem 
to  be  looking  back  into  the  ages  of  Arabian  power  and 
splendor.  What  we  now  see  of  European  life  in  this  city, 
is  rather,  in  truth,  an  accidental  excrescence  imposed  from 
without,  than  any  intrinsic  alteration  in  the  habits  and  manners 
of  the  people  themselves. 

That  Cairo  is  essentially  an  Arabian  city,  will  appear  from  a 
few  brief  notices  abridged  from  Wilkinson,  of  its  history,  and  con- 
sequently that  of  Egypt  itself,  under  the  Saracens  and  their  suc- 
cessors. Egypt,  as  stated  in  the  Historical  Introduction,  was 
conquered  from  the  Byzantine  emperors  by  Amer,  in  638,  a.  d. 
After  taking  the  Roman  Babylon,  he  founded  near  it  a city  and 
mosque,  of  which  the  arches  are  round,  at  Fostat  or  Old  Cairo, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Nile.  Under  the  sway  of  the  Ommiade 
and  Abasside  caliphs,  the  history  of  the  province  of  Egypt  pre- 
sents no  facts  of  striking  interest.  In  868,  Tooloon,  governor  of 
Egypt  under  the  caliph,  having  thrown  off  his  allegiance,  and 
made  himself  master  of  the  country,  built  eastward  of  Fostat  a 
palace  and  mosque,  which  may  be  called  the  original  nucleus  of 
Cairo,  and,  with  the  surrounding  quarter,  is  now  enclosed 
within  its  walls.  This  mosque  is  distinguished  as  being  among 
the  earliest  specimens  of  the  pointed  arch,  and  as  presenting  the 
characteristics  of  early  Arabian  architecture.  T ooloon’s  dynasty 
was  but  of  short  duration.  El  Moez,  leader  of  the  Fatimites, 
who  had  established  a dynasty  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  dispatched 
his  general,  Goher,  to  invade  Egypt,  upon  succeeding  in  which 
attempt  he  founded,  in  923,  the  present  city  of  Cairo,  still  fur- 
ther eastward  of  the  mosque  and  quarter  of  Tooloon.  Here- 
upon Moez  established  his  residence  at  the  new  capital,  which 
he  delighted  to  beautify,  and  to  him  is  due  the  original  founda- 
tion of  the  venerable  college  of  El  Azhar.  Passing  over  a long 
list  of  Egyptian  Fatimite  governors  and  their  intrigues,  we 
come  at  length  to  the  era  of  the  crusades  and  of  Saladin,  the 


48 


HISTORY  OF  CAIRO. 


only  great  name  connected  with  the  annals  of  Cairo.  He  was 
the  nephew  of  Shirkook,  who,  urging  Noor-e-din,  the  Abasside 
caliph,  to  wrest  Egypt  from  the  Fatimites,  eventually,  through 
his  assistance,  obtained  virtual  possession  of  the  country  for 
himself.  Hereupon  Noor-e-din  sought  in  every  way  to  dis- 
possess him  and  his  nephew,  who,  after  the  death  of  Shirkook, 
had  succeeded  to  the  post  of  vizier.  This  caliph,  however, 
dying  shortly  after,  Saladin  openly  threw  off  the  yoke,  and 
rendered  himself  the  independent  sovereign  of  Egypt  and 
Syria.  We  need  not  dwell  upon  his  well-known  and  glorious 
career ; suffice  it  to  say,  that  he  added  largely  to  the  city  of 
Cairo,  which,  to  insui'e  against  attack,  he  also  surrounded  with 
a stronger  wall,  inclosing  the  rocky  spur  of  Mount  Mokattam  as 
a citadel.  The  city  then  assumed  its  present  shape,  although 
greatly  beautified  by  the  erections  of  subsequent  rulers.  Melek 
Adel,  brother  of  Saladin,  and  hardly  less  valiant,  to  whom 
Richard  Coeur  de  Lion  proposed  to  give  his  sister  in  marriage, 
deposed  his  infant  grandson,  and  seized  upon  the  sovereignty, 
but  died  in  a few  years,  on  account,  it  is  supposed,  of  the  suc- 
cesses of  the  Christians,  who  had  landed  in  Egypt  and  in- 
vaded Damietta.  That  place  being  at  length  taken,  the 
crusaders  advanced  upon  Cairo,  but  were  cut  oft’  from  supplies 
and  obliged  to  capitulate.  Still  more  disastrous  was  the  issue 
of  the  sixth  crusade,  when  Louis  IX.  was  taken  prisoner. 
Cairo  ‘ the  victorious’  was  never  designed  to  fall  into  the  hands 
of  the  crusaders.  The  Aioobite  dynasty,  that  of  the  family  of 
Saladin,  was  at  length  supplanted  by  the  Baharite  Memlooks, 
a valiant  race  of  foreign  and  military  slaves,  who  rose  against 
their  masters.  “ A more  unjust  and  absurd  constitution  can  not 
be  devised,”  says  Gibbon,  “ than  that  which  condemns  the 
natives  of  a country  to  perpetual  servitude  under  the  arbitrary 
dominion  of  strangers  and  slaves.  The  most  illustrious  sultans 
of  the  Baharite  (Tartar)  and  Borgite  (Circassian)  dynasties 
were  themselves  promoted  from  the  Tartar  and  Circassian 
bands ; and  the  four  and  twenty  beys,  or  military  chiefs,  have 


HISTORY  OF  CAIRO. 


49 


i 

i 


i 

i 


ever  been  succeeded  not  by  their  sons,  but  by  their  servants. 
With  some  breathing  intervals  of  peace  and  order,  the  two 
dynasties  are  marked  as  a period  of  rapine  and  bloodshed,  but 
their  throne,  however  shaken,  reposed  on  the  two  pillars  of 
discipline  and  valor;  their  sway  extended  over  Egypt,  Nubia, 
Arabia,  and  Syria,  their  Mamelukes  were  multiplied  from  eight 
hundred  to  twenty-five  thousand  horse,  and  their  numbers 
were  increased  by  a provincial  militia  of  one  hundred  and 
seven  thousand  foot,  and  the  occasional  aid  of  sixty-six  thousand 
Arabs.”  This  powerful  dynasty  has  now  passed  away,  leaving 
but  a great  name  in  history,  and  a group  of  beautiful  tombs 
fast  falling  into  irretrievable  ruin.  The  Baharite  sultans, 
Baybers  and  Kalaoon,  played  a glorious  part  in  the  history  of 
the  crusades,  the  taking  of  Acre  under  the  son  of  the  latter 
resulting  in  a final  abandonment  of  Syria  by  the  Christian 
knights.  Meanwhile  Saracenic  architecture  appears  to  have 
gradually  attained  its  highest  degree  of  perfection,  for  to  this 
period  belongs  the  beautiful  mosque  of  Sultan  Hassan,  and 
the  tombs  of  the  Circassian  Memlooks.  This  dynasty  sup- 
planted the  Baharite  in  1382.  The  first  of  them,  Sultan 
Berkook,  was  distinguished  for  his  valor.  El  Ashraf  Kaitbay 
in  his  turn  made  head  against  the  growing  power  of  the 
Turks,  and  obliged  Sultan  Bajazet  to  conclude  a peace.  The 
rule  of  the  Circassian  Memlooks  was  brought  at  length  to  a 
close  by  the  defeat  of  Ghoreeh,  and  his  successor,  Toman  Bey, 
by  the  Turkish  sultan  Selim,  who,  though  he  abolished  the 
sovereignty,  left,  however,  the  Memlook  aristocracy  in  con- 
ditional possession  of  Egypt.  With  the  fall  of  the  Memlook 
sultans  terminates  the  historical  interest  of  Cairo ; for  the  in- 
trigues of  their  successors,  until  extirpated  by  Mehemet  Ali, 
would  be  both  tedious  and  unprofitable  in  a work  of  this  light 
texture.  Such  is  a brief  sketch  of  the  long  period  during 
which  Arabian  architecture  grew  up  from  extreme  simplicity  to 
the  highest  state  of  enrichment,  while  the  Gothic  was  making 
similar  progress  in  our  own  country  and  throughout  Europe. 

n 


50 


CAIRO  — GENERAL  DESCRIPTION. 


Cairo  has  been  well  described  as  occupying  the  natural 
center  of  Egypt.  Heliopolis  was  only  five  miles  below,  and 
the  site  of  Memphis  not  more  than  ten  miles  above  the  pres- 
ent capital.  The  position  commands  the  approaches  to  Upper 
Egypt,  and  is  upon  the  direct  and  natural  thoroughfare  be- 
tween the  Mediterranean  and  the  Red  Sea.  It  is  at  present 
nearly  three  miles  from  the  Nile,  a branch  of  which  however 
formerly  flowed  much  nearer  to  it,  and  about  twelve  miles 
south  of  the  upper  or  southern  termination  of  the  Delta. 
There  the  river  is  divided  into  two  channels,  through  which  its 
waters  flow  into  the  Mediterranean,  one  diverging  to  the  north- 
west, the  other  to  the  north-east,  thus  giving  a triangular  form 
to  the  alluvial  region  below.  Cairo  is  chiefly  built  upon  the 
alluvial  plain  of  the  Nile,  but  the  eastern  part  of  the  city  rests 
upon  the  lower  declivity  of  Mount  Mokattam,  a part  of  the 
long  range  which  separates  Egypt  from  the  Desert  of  the  Red 
Sea.  Thus  while  from  its  northern  and  western  gates  you  issue 
forth  at  once  into  the  luxuriant  verdure  of  the  Delta,  from  its 
southern  and  eastern  you  plunge  as  suddenly  into  an  arid 
wilderness. 

Thus  much  for  the  general  situation.  The  city  itself  is  the 
most  completely  Arabian  one  existing,  having  never  received 
any  foreign  additions,  unless  by  the  Turks,  though  modern 
innovations  are  daily  robbing  it  more  and  more  of  that  char- 
acter. It  is  walled  round  and  defended  by  a citadel  on  the 
towering  crags  of  Mount  Mokattam.  Within,  though  here  and 
there  is  an  open  square,  it  is  one  maze  of  narrow  tortuous  lanes ; 
the  widest,  with  few  exceptions,  being  barely  sufficient  to  allow 
two  laden  camels  to  pass  abreast — the  narrowest  scarcely  one. 
Some  quarters  are  almost  forsaken.  The  mosques  are  thickly 
sown,  and  minarets  in  almost  countless  number  spring  up 
lustrously  into  the  cloudless  sky.  The  crowd  is  incessant,  and 
the  variety  of  costumes  and  character  very  curious.  The 
bulk  of  the  population  are  Moslem  Arabians,  with  a handful 
of  Turks,  and  a considerable  number  of  Christian  Copts, 


«• 


A STREET  IN  CAIRO 


CAIREEN  LADIES. 


04 

of  all  luxuries.  Whoever  pleases,  says  Olin,  ascends  the  two 
or  three  steps  from  the  street,  takes  a metal  cup  through  an 
aperture  in  the  gilt  iron  work,  and  drinks  his  fill;  the  cup, 
however,  being  fastened  by  a chain  just  long  enough  to  allow 
the  Arab  to  quench  his  thirst,  without  indulging  another  of  his 
propensities  quite  as  strong,  and  hardly  less  general.  In  the 
center  of  the  view  is  an  Arabian  lady  “ riding  the  high  ass,”  as 
Mrs.  Poole  calls  it ; she  is  seated  after  the  manner  of  men 
upon  a lofty  upbuilt  saddle  covered  with  the  richest  carpets. 
The  ass  which  she  bestrides  is  one  of  the  largest  size,  very 
carefully  groomed,  and  full  of  spirit  and  vivacity,  with  an  eye 
like  a gazelle's,  quite  realizing  the  “ Sprightly”  of  the  Arabian 
Nights.  It  is  gaily  adorned  with  tassels  and  trappings,  and 
conducted  through  the  press  of  the  throng  by  a stout  well- 
dressed  servant.  The  lady  herself  is  enveloped  in  a wrapper  of 
rich  black  silk,  which  disguises  her  whole  person,  leaving  only 
the  face,  which  is  half  covered  by  a white  muslin  vail,  conceal- 
ing all  but  the  lustrous  dark  eyes,  which  seem  to  thrill  through 
you  in  the  dusky  obscurity  of  the  street.  Sometimes  you  en- 
counter a whole  harem  thus  mysteriously  equipped,  when  the 
passengers  studiously  avert  their  looks,  and  carefully  stand 
against  the  side  walls  to  make  way  for  them.  Behind  the  lady 
advances  a huge  camel,  laden  with  enormous  burdens,  which 
fairly  clears  the  causeway.  An  encounter  with  one  of  these 
animals  is  indeed  any  thing  but  agreeable.  Sometimes  he  is 
laden  with  water  skins,  wet  and  dripping  upon  the  earth, 
sometimes  with  baskets  of  large  square  stones,  and  what  is 
worst  of  all,  with  long  dangling  beams  of  timber  which  droop 
down  and  scrape  the  walls  on  either  side.  Heedless  of  all  ob- 
struction, on  he  stalks  with  his  slow,  rolling,  not  unmajestic 
gait,  leaving  it  to  the  rest  of  the  passengers  to  accommodate 
themselves  to  his  gyrations  as  they  are  best  able, — not  to  be 
effected  without  much  dexterity,  and  withal  an  occasional 
tumble.  In  addition  to  the  aristocratic  lady  seen  in  the  view, 
are  some  of  the  lower  ranks  on  foot.  Their  gait  and  general 


BLIND  BEGGARS 


53 


appearance  is  majestic,  but  they  will  not  bear  close  inspection. 
Their  early  beauty  soon  gives  place  to  positive  ugliness. 
Moreover,  they  tattoo  their  hands,  arms,  faces,  and  bosoms,  and 
blacken,  as  indeed  do  all  the  women,  their  eyelashes  with 
‘ kohl.’  Their  dress  is  a long  simple  wrapper  of  blue,  or  a 
species  of  plaid,  very  loosely  hanging  about  them,  and  open  at 
the  bosom.  It  is  often  ludicrous  enough,  says  Olin,  to  observe 
the  studied  care  with  which  a girl  covers  her  face  with  a frag- 
ment of  a vail,  or  the  corners  of  her  tattered  robe,  while  with 
the  other  she  raises  her  drapery  in  the  freest  possible  manner. 
Nothing  seems  to  be  regarded  as  a breach  of  modesty  if  the 
face  be  covered.  To  display  that  is  regarded  as  an  open  proof 
of  the  abandonment  of  virtue. 

Our  blind  beggar  is  but  a type  of  a class  unhappily  very 
numerous  in  Egypt.  I have  remarked  that  this  class  of  men  in 
the  East  have  often  a nobleness  and  resignation  stamped  upon 
their  features  which  is  quite  touching ; the  closing  of  the 
visual  organs  with  which  they  commune  with  the  external 
world,  appear,  as  it  were,  to  quicken  their  spiritual  sense,  and 
they  seem  as  though  they  felt  nearer  to  God,  and  more  imme- 
diately dependent  on  his  providence,  than  others.  They  are, 
if  totally  blind,  generally  led  about  by  some  poor  boy,  and  in 
Constantinople  they  are  always  seated  at  the  gates  of  the 
mosques.  They  are  treated  with  great  respect  by  the  Mussul- 
mans, who,  with  that  reverent  spirit  that  runs  through  all  their 
actions,  regard  every  visitation  of  providence  as  entitling  its 
object  to  their  peculiar  sympathy.  Throughout  Egypt  the 
number  of  blind  or  half-blind  persons  is  positively  startling. 
Various  causes  have  been  adduced  for  this ; the  continual 
glare  of  the  sun,  the  subtle  impalpable  dust,  which  we  have 
already  enumerated  as  one  of  the  prominent  plagues  of  Egvpt, 
and,  as  others  think,  the  transition  from  the  dry  air  to  the  moist 
vapors  of  the  Nile.  To  these  causes  may  be  added  the  total 
want  of  precaution  or  common  cleanliness.  And  as  if  the 
number  of  the  blind  from  natural  causes  were  insufficient,  the 


54 


THE  BAZAARS. 


iron  rule  of  Mehemet  Ali  has  tended  to  increase  it.  In  the 
hope  of  escaping  the  ruthless  conscription  by  which  the  pasha 
recruited  his  armies,  parents  were  led  to  deprive  their  children 
of  one  of  their  eyes.  The  pasha,  however,  was  not  to  be 
balked  of  his  prey,  and,  at  the  suggestion,  it  is  said,  of  one  of 
those  Frank  advisers,  who  sharpen  by  the  Machiavelian  ex- 
pedients of  European  intellect  the  lawless  cruelty  of  oriental 
despotism,  these  unfortunate  wretches,  with  a refinement  of 
cruel  irony,  were  organized  into  a one-eyed  corps ! 

Through  a labyrinth  of  these  narrow  streets  we  advance  into 
the  Bazaars.  These,  in  an  oriental  city,  are  the  great  gathering 
place  of  the  population,  the  center  of  traffic,  the  seat  of  flying 
rumors,  and  the  lurking-place  of  secret  conspiracies.  They 
consist  of  one  main  avenue  running  through  the  center  of  the 
city,  with  endless  and  intricate  branches,  generally  covered,  and 
some  of  them  sunk  into  a twilight  obscurity.  The  crowd  that 
pours  through  them  is  incessant.  Each  trade  has  its  separate 
‘sook’  or  quarter,  and  there  are  numerous  ‘ Wekalehs’  or 
Khans,  for  the  reception  of  merchandise,  large  courts  opening 
from  the  bazaars,  surrounded  with  buildings,  and  defended  by 
strong  gates,  which  are  kept  closed  at  night.  The  whole  scene 
is  marvelously  original ; every  turn  presents  us  with  a fresh 
picture  of  oriental  life  and  manners.  Indeed,  to  wander  at 
random  about  these  bazaars  is  one  of  the  most  delightful  things 
I am  acquainted  with.  Charles  Lamb  remarks,  that  in  his 
dreams  he  used  to  ramble  through  all  the  cities  of  the  East,  to 
mingle  with  their  strange  and  turbaned  crowds,  with  a sense  of 
vivid  delight  quite  indescribable.  Something  of  this  singular 
intoxication  is  experienced  by  him  who  for  the  first  time  visits 
the  streets  of  Cairo. 

I have  selected  for  representation  a group  sketched  on  the 
spot,  at  the  door  of  a coffee-house.  At  a well-frequented  corner 
sits  a Jewish  money-changer,  whose  sordid  dress,  black  turban, 
and  reddish  hair,  mark  him  out  as  one  of  that  despised  but 
still  most  influential  race,  who  often,  in  Eastern  as  in  Western 


THE  BAZAAR 


THE  COFFEE-SHOP. 


lands,  have  moved  in  unsuspected  obscurity  the  vital  springs 
of  the  social  and  political  machine.  To  ply  his  money-getting 
functions  for  the  day  he  has  issued  from  his  quarter,  the  most 
horrible  in  Cairo,  the  narrowest,  foulest,  and  most  confined, 
and  bearing  in  its  ponderous  and  strong-barred  gates,  evidence 
of  the  painful  insecurity  of  its  detested  yet  envied  inhabitants. 
He  is  engaged  in  transactions  with  a Turk,  in  which  he  will 
probably  come  off  somewhat  the  gainer.  The  coffee-shop 
where  he  has  planted  himself  is  a fair  sample  of  the  very 
numerous  ones  which  nre  found  in  every  corner  of  the  capital. 
They  are  small  and  without  decoration,  but  the  coffee,  as  pre- 
pared at  the  best  of  them,  has,  to  the  genuine  amateui',  an 
aroma  not  excelled,  if  equaled,  in  the  first  of  Parisian  cafes. 
Coffee  and  pipes  are  at  once  the  universal  stimuli  as  well  as 
sedatives  of  the  Orientals.  Nothing  can  be  got  through  without 
their  influence.  Besides  what  is  consumed  at  the  cafe,  the 
negro  servants  may  be  seen  all  day  long  carrying  to  and  fro 
small  cups  to  the  shopkeepers  of  the  bazaars.  A raised  seat 
serves  for  the  coffee  customers ; here  they  sit  and  smoke,  and 
here  is  often  seen  assembled  a group  listening  to  the  tale  of  a 
musician,  who  chants  to  them  some  ancient  fragment  of  Arabian 
romance.  The  style  of  smoking  is  generally  with  the  long, 
straight,  cherry-stick  pipe,  which  is  very  elegantly  adorned 
with  silk  and  tassels ; but  some,  like  the  figure  in  the  sketch, 
prefer  the  more  recherche  Narghileh,  consisting  of  a long 
flexible  tube,  inserted  in  a glass  vase  of  water,  somewhat  soften- 
ing the  narcotic  inhalation.  The  back-ground  displays  one 
of  the  gates  inclosing  a particular  part  of  the  bazaar,  through 
which  and  across  the  main  avenue  is  a perspective  into  one  of 
the  aforesaid  Wekalehs  or  Khans,  with  its  interior  courts, 
and  a flitting  phantasmagoria  of  caftaned  and  turbaned  mer- 
chants.- 

It  was  while  standing  to  draw  this  coffee-shop,  that  I was 
struck  by  the  appearance  of  a stranger,  who  alighted  from  his 
horse  for  a few  moments  on  some  matter  of  business  with  a 


56 


SULEYMAN  AGHA. 


neighboring  shopkeeper.  He  answered  remarkably  well  to 
Falstaff’s  description  of  himself — “a  good  portly  man,  i’  faith, 
and  a corpulent,  of  a cheerful  look,  a pleasing  eye,  and  a most 
noble  carriage,  and,  as  I think,  his  age  some  fifty,  or  by  ’r  Lady, 
inclining  to  threescore.”  But  it  was  his  costume  which  pecu- 
liarly distinguished  him  from  the  surrounding  throng.  It  was, 
in  fact,  the  old  costume  of  the  murdered  Mamelukes,  the  heavy 
turban,  and  voluminous  inexpressibles,  the  cloth  of  which  alone 
w’ould  have  furnished  forth  a suit  for  any  ordinary  European. 
The  materials  w'ere  costly,  and  the  entire  effect  strikingly 
picturesque,  and  even  gorgeous.  His  mien  and  garb  bespoke 
him  no  ordinary  personage,  and  I gazed  on  him  writh  curiosity 
and  interest,  but  it  was  not  for  some  time  afterward  that  I 
ascertained  who  he  really  was.  His  name  I found  was  Suley- 
man Agha,  and  he  may  well  be  called  the  “ last  of  the  Mame- 
lukes,” at  least  of  those  who  formerly  held  possession  of  Cairo. 
His  story  is  very  curious.  He  was,  it  seems,  a personal  friend 
of  Mehemet  Ali,  at  the  time  when  the  latter  had  secretly  re- 
solved upon  the  extermination  of  his  Mamelukes,  who,  as  he 
knew,  were  planning  to  cut  him  off.  The  manner  of  their  de- 
struction is  probably  known  to  the  reader.  The  ceremony  of  the 
investiture  of  Toossoon  Pasha  with  the  command  of  an  army 
served  as  the  pretext  for  drawing  them  within  the  walls  of  the 
citadel,  whence  it  wras  determined  that  they  should  never  return 
alive.  The  snare  w?as  laid,  the  agents  of  destruction  ready. 
The  principal  Mamelukes  repaired  for  the  last  time  in  all  their 
splendor  to  the  fortress,  and  paid  their  congratulations  to  the 
pasha ; then  turned  to  take  their  leave.  But  the  gates  had 
been  closed,  and  from  every  corner  of  the  building  a fire  of 
musketry  w-as  opened  upon  them,  till  man  and  horse  lay  heaped 
in  one  promiscuous  carnage.  One  indeed,  and  one  only 
escaped,  by  leaping  his  horse  over  the  wall  at  a spot  where  he 
had  remarked  a mound  of  rubbish ; the  horse  wras  killed,  but 
his  rider  succeeded  in  making  his  way  out  of  the  city.  Mean- 
while such  of  the  Mamelukes  who  remained  below  wrere  put  to 


SULEYMAN  AGHA. 


57 


death,  and  their  houses  sacked.  When  all  was  over,  the  pasha, 
who  had  not  dared  to  intrust  his  favorite  with  the  dangerous 
secret  of  his  designs,  deeply  concerned  at  the  loss  of  his  Mame- 
luke friend,  was  lamenting  his  supposed  death,  when,  to  his 
surprise  and  joy,  he  suddenly  appeared  before  him.  Scarcely 
could  Mehemet  Ali  believe  his  eyes,  or  sufficiently  express  his 
satisfaction,  and  he  hastily  inquired  by  what  means  Suleyman 
Agha  had  effected  his  escape  from  that  terrible  scene  of 
carnage.  The  Mameluke  told  him  that  he  had  disguised  him- 
self as  a woman  ; but  this  was  too  much  for  his  Highness's 
belief ; the  portly  frame  and  manly  countenance  of  the  Agha 
seemed  to  render  such  a metamorphosis  impossible,  and  he 
frankly  expressed  his  incredulity.  Of  this  at  the  time  the 
Mameluke  took  no  notice,  but  several  days  afterward  there 
appeared  before  his  Highness  a woman,  clothed  in  the  usual 
blue  robe  of  the  lower  class  of  Arab  females,  with  the  long 
white  vail  concealing  all  but  the  eyes.  She  came  to  make  a 
complaint  against  her  husband,  upon  whose  wrongs  toward  her 
she  entered  with  all  the  volubility  of  a Caireen  female.  The 
case  was  clear,  the  judgment  given  in  her  favor,  and  a pun- 
ishment ordered  for  the  delinquent  husband ; when  the  sup- 
posed sufferer,  throwing  up  her  vail,  inquired  of  the  pasha  if 
he  was  at  length  satisfied.  It  was  no  other  than  his  old  friend 
Suleyman.  Great  merriment  ensued  upon  this  eclaircissement, 
and  the  sole  survivor  of  his  slaughtered  brethren  has  ever  since 
been  on  the  most  cordial  terms  both  with  the  pasha  and  the 
principal  personages  of  Cairo. 

In  the  foreground  of  the  view  is  seen  a donkey-driver  with 
his  beast ; being,  in  fact,  a portrait  of  the  little  familiar  who 
habitually  conveyed  me  about  the  city  and  its  environs,  and 
served  me  too  in  the  office  of  a Cicerone.  I have  spoken  of  the 
admirable  qualities  of  the  Egyptian  ass,  of  its  strength,  and 
spirit ; the  difficulty,  at  least  in  the  crowded  streets  of  Cairo, 
being  rather  to  restrain  its  rapid  movements,  which  often 
bring  one  into  peril  of  collision  with  a vailed  lady  or  a loaded 

8 


60 


VIEW  FROM  THE  CITADEL. 


passing  hour  ; or,  overcome  with  drowsiness,  takes  a quiet  nap 
upon  his  shopboard.  A dish  of  ‘ kabobs,’  pieces  of  mutton 
seasoned  with  herbs,  cut  small,  and  cooked  on  a spit,  a glass  of 
water  from  the  itinerant  vender,  or  a cup  of  coffee  from  the 
nearest  shop,  constitute  his  daily  repast.  And  thus  he  con- 
trives to  wear  away  the  listless  hours  till  sundown. 

From  the  bazaars,  by  many  a dim  and  winding  street,  there 
is  a gradual  ascent  to  the  citadel,  which  stands  on  a bold  spur 
of  the  bare  sandstone  mountain,  through  which  indeed  the  road 
is  partly  cut.  The  walls  are  solid,  and  in  some  places  from 
fifty  to  one  hundred  feet  high.  Passing  through  its  entrance 
court,  we  come  upon  a terrace  commanding  one  of  the  grandest 
prospects  in  the  world.  Cairo,  with  its  countless  numbers  of 
carved  domes  and  fantastic  minarets,  is  taken  in  at  a glance. 
To  the  eastward,  in  a secluded  valley  separated  from  the  city, 
the  loner  range  of  the  tombs  of  the  Memlook  sultans  stretches 
into  the  distant  desert  toward  Suez.  On  the  south  extends 
the  dense  verdure  of  the  Delta,  a dark  green  streak  which 
comes  up  abruptly  to  the  edge  of  the  yellow  sands.  Thei’e 
stood  Heliopolis,  the  most  learned  city  of  Egypt,  and  there 
yet  stands  its  obelisk,  upon  which  Abraham  may  have  gazed 
with  curiosity  as  he  entered  that  wonderful  land.  But  it  is 
to  the  westward  that  the  chief  glories  of  the  scene  expand ; the 
long  range  of  the  dusky  pyramids,  from  the  nearer  ones  of 
Ghizeh  to  those  of  Sakhara  and  Dashoor,  standing  in  sublime 
serenity  above  the  site  of  vanished  Memphis,  sole  but  most 
glorious  relics  of  the  pride  and  power  of  the  early  Egyptian 
kings  of  Lower  Egypt ; pointing  backward  from  an  antiquity 
already  hoary,  through  a long  and  dim  vista  of  unknown 
monarchs,  toward  the  unknown  origin  of  civilization.  They 
stand  on  the  rocky  edge  of  the  boundless  Libyan  desert,  over- 
looking the  verdant  valley  of  the  Nile,  with  its  variegated 
crops  and  scattered  palm-groves  and  villages.  Advancing 
nearer  to  the  city,  on  the  banks  of  the  river  peep  up  the 
minarets  of  Fostat  or  Old  Cairo,  marking  the  advent  of  another 


From  the  Citadel  built  by  Saladin 


(BAHARITK  8DLTAN8,  A D . 1300 


VIEW  FROM  THE  CITADEL. 


6] 


race,  founded  by  the  Arabs  who  conquered  Egypt  from  the 
Byzantine  emperors.  The  solid  wall  of  the  Roman  fort  which 
so  long  resisted  their  efforts,  is  confounded  with  the  surround- 
ing buildings  and  groves.  The  luxuriant  island  of  Rhoda 
is  half  made  out,  and  nearer  at  hand  those  portions  of  the  city, 
which  were  successively  added  by  later  Arabian  dynasties,  as  it 
gradually  receded  from  the  river,  and  took  up  its  final  position 
under  the  shelter  of  the  Mokattam  crags.  Conspicuous  in  this 
now  half-ruinous  quarter  is  seen  a large  square  court  with  a 
dome  and  minaret  of  singular  formation,  fast  falling  into  decay. 
This  is  the  mosque  of  Tooloon,  the  founder  of  a separate 
dynasty:  it  is  remarkable  as  one  of  the  earliest  specimens  of 
the  pointed  arch;  and,  to  close  this  description,  which  is  run- 
ning too  much  into  diffuse  detail,  immediately  below  is  the 
noblest  mosque  in  the  city,  built  some  centuries  later,  when 
Arabian  architecture  had  attained  its  highest  degree  of 
enrichment,  by  Hassan,  a sultan  of  the  Baharite  Memlook 
dynasty.  It  is  a landscape  not  only  indescribably  splendid  to 
the  eye,  especially  when  the  sun  is  sinking  behind  the  pyra- 
mids, and  flinging  long  rays  of  ruby  luster  aslant  the  Nile 
valley,  to  rest  for  a brief  half-hour  on  the  craggy  crest  of  the 
citadel,  and  the  arabesque  fretwork  of  the  lofty  minarets ; but 
its  soil  is  the  strand  of  ages,  upon  which  successive  races,  from 
Sesostris  to  Saladin,  like  wave  chasing  wave,  have  left  the  monu- 
mental races  of  their  passage ; monuments  too  the  more  im- 
perishable as  they  recede  further  into  the  night  of  antiquity. 

To  the  traveler  not  merely  anxious  to  dispatch  the  “sights” 
of  Cairo,  under  the  guidance  of  a loquacious  Cicerone  ; to  the 
lover  of  art  in  all  its  variety  of  characteristic  invention,  in 
which  the  sense  of  the  beautiful  is  developed  in  accordance 
with  the  peculiar  religion  or  social  system  of  a people ; Cairo 
will  present  a peculiar  attraction  from  its  containing,  with  a few 
exceptions,  the  finest  specimens  of  the  Arabian  architecture  in 
its  mosques,  tombs,  gates,  and  private  houses,  to  be  met  with 
in  any  oriental  city. 


62 


THE  POINTED  ARCH. 


It  is  not  easy  at  present  to  trace  the  origin  and  progress  of 
this  original  and  exquisite  style.  Like  the  Christian  Gothic, 
which  in  some  important  particulars  seems  to  resemble  it,  it 
might  itself  have  been  founded  on  the  style  of  the  Lower 
Empire ; indeed  its  earliest  specimens,  such  as  the  mosque  of 
Amer  at  Old  Cairo,  exhibit  the  round  arch  and  detail  without 
any  original  character ; bearing  marks  of  the  adaptation  of  an 
older  architecture  to  a different  purpose.  It  seems  certain  that 
the  first  specimens  of  the  pointed  arch  are  met  with  in  Eastern 
buildings,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  idea  was  transmitted  to 
Europe  by  the  crusaders.  Sir  Gardner  Wilkinson,  in  a recent 
paper,  expresses  his  belief  that  the  ancient  Egyptians  were 
acquainted  with  the  pointed  arch,  not  constructed,  however,  on 
the  true  principle,  but  horizontally.  We  have  heard  the  same 
opinion  expressed  by  Mr.  Catherwood.  The  first-mentioned 
learned  writer  also  considers  that  the  Christians  were  the  first 
in  more  modern  times  to  adopt  the  pointed  arch,  and  that  the 
Moslems  copied  from  them.  Be  this  as  it  may,  these  early 
and  perhaps  imitative  attempts  of  Arabian  architecture,  gradu- 
ally gave  place  to  a style  which  may  justly  rank  among  the 
most  original  ever  invented.  Its  different  stages  may  be  traced 
in  Cairo,  from  the  plain  arches  and  grave  simplicity  of  the 
mosque  of  Tooloon,  up  to  the  surpassing  elegance  of  the 
tombs  of  the  sultans  and  other  monuments.  There  is  one  con- 
sideration which  invests  them  with  peculiar  interest,  namely, 
that  the  most  beautiful  of  them  are  going  rapidly  to  decay ; 
while  a modern  and  corrupt  imitation,  entirely  without  merit, 
is  supplanting  the  genuine  one,  retaining  merely  its  leading 
arrangements,  while  all  the  peculiar  distinguishing  beauties 
are  replaced  by  the  most  vapid  and  tasteless  mixture  of  styles. 

In  a remote  part  of  the  town,  formerly  without  the  walls,  is 
the  mosque  of  Tooloon,  the  most  ancient  in  the  city,  (already 
alluded  to  in  the  description  of  the  view  from  the  citadel,  in 
which  it  appears,)  at  present  in  a very  dilapidated  and  neglected 
state.  It  stands  in  an  extensive  open  square,  surrounded  by 


MOSQUE  OF  TOOLOON. 


63 


cloisters  on  three  sides,  consisting  of  two  rows  of  columns,  but 
on  the  eastern  of  five,  as  appears  in  the  accompanying  illustra- 


tion. On  entering  from  without  we  are  struck  by  the  grave 
and  noble  simplicity,  and  even  elegance  of  effect ; the  square 
piers  and  flat  rooms  being  relieved  by  the  tasteful  arches  with 
their  broad  decorated  border,  which  does  not  much  resemble 
the  later  style  called  arabesque.  It  will  be  observed  that  the 
arch  partakes  of  the  horse-shoe  form,  inclining  slightly  inward. 
Wilkinson  gives  the  date  of  this  building  879,  a.  d.,  observing, 
that  if  not  remarkable  for  beauty,  it  is  a monument  of  the 
highest  interest  in  the  history  of  architecture,  as  it  proves  the 
existence  of  the  pointed  arch  about  three  hundred  years  before 
its  introduction  into  England,  where  that  style  of  building  was 
not  in  common  use  until  the  beginning  of  the  13th  century, 
and  was  unknown  before  the  year  1170. 

The  singular  twisted  form  of  the  minaret  on  the  other  side 
of  the  court  will  be  remarked  ; it  has  a spiral  staircase  outside 
leading  to  the  gallery  above.  It  is  said  that  this  originated  in 


04 


MOSQUE  .OF  THE  SULTAN  HASSAN. 


the  founder’s  wish  to  have  it  built  in  the  shape  of  a piece  of 
paper  he  happened  to  be  twisting.  The  dome  over  the 
fountain  in  the  center  of  the  area  is  of  later  date  than  the 
arcades.* 

Near  the  citadel,  at  the  corner  of  the  open  square  of  the 
Roomaylee,  is  the  mosque  of  the  sultan  Hassan,  conspicuous 
on  the  approach  to  the  city,  in  some  respects  certainly  the 
finest  in  Cairo,  though  the  design  is  somewhat  unequal  and 
incongruous,  and  neither  the  dome  nor  minaret  are  at  all  equal 
in  beauty  to  many  smaller  specimens ; the  former  somewhat 
resembling  the  clumsy  style  of  those  of  Constantinople,  built 
up  with  unsightly  buttresses,  instead  of  springing  up  gracefully 
from  its  foundation.  Of  the  side  next  the  square,  a very  good 
idea  may  be  formed  by  referring  to  the  view  from  the  citadel 
in  the  foreground  of  which  it  appears.  What  is  unique,  and 
indeed  unequaled,  is  the  magnificent  porch  and  the  cornice 
above  it ; which,  as  the  spectator  comes  up  through  the  narrow, 
crowded  street,  called  the  Sook  e Zullut,  ‘ or  arm  bazaar,’  strikes 
him  with  marvelous  effect,  towering  to  an  amazing  height,  and 
displaying  in  its  honeycomb  tracery  a noble  breadth  of  design, 
with  intricacy  and  richness  of  detail,  which  surpasses  every  other 
in  the  city,  fine  as  some  of  them  are.  It  is  quite  impossible  to 
do  justice  to  such  a specimen  in  a small  drawing ; and  besides, 
the  street  is  so  narrow  that  only  a side  view  can  be  obtained, 
yet  the  accompanying  view  will  in  some  measure  bear  out  these 
remarks.  A peculiar  effect,  which  cannot  be  imitated  in  the 
engraving,  is  produced  by  the  black  and  red  marbles  with 
which  portions  are  inlaid.  This  view  also  exhibits  a very 
good  specimen  of  the  exterior  of  the  houses  of  the  old  style, 
with  their  open  galleries,  and  the  elaborately  fretted  wood- 
work of  their  projecting  windows  and  coverings,  which  produce 
a very  picturesque  effect,  with  the  cafe  below,  overshaded, 
as  is  commonly  the  case,  by  an  awning.  The  gateway  leads 


* See  Wilkinson  for  further  details  of  this  mosque. 


. 


MOSQUE  OF  SULTAN  HASSAN. 


A MARRIAGE  PROCESSION. 


65 


into  a Khan.  This  is  the  main  thoroughfare  in  the  city, 
yet  by  taking  one  of  the  cane  seats  of  a small  cafe,  I was  en- 
abled to  complete  my  sketch  without  the  slightest  interruption. 
In  the  foreground  is  to  be  seen  one  of  the  sights  which  the 
stranger  is  sure  to  encounter,  however  short  his  stay  ; a ‘ zeffeh,’ 
or  preliminary  marriage  procession.  The  bride,  whose  dress 
and  person  are  entirely  concealed  by  a shawl,  accompanied  by 
one  or  two  of  her  relations,  advances  beneath  a gay-colored 
canopy  of  silk,  borne  by  four  men ; in  front  is  a procession  of 
her  female  friends,  married  and  unmarried,  the  latter  being 
distinguished  by  their  white  wrappers  from  the  black  silk  ones 
worn  by  the  former.  The  whole  is  preceded  by  a party  of 
musicians  playing  on  hautboys  and  drums,  and  in  the  case  of 
the  lower  orders,  accompanied  by  a peculiar  cry  of  the  women, 
called  * zughareet,’  or  rolling  of  the  voice,  expressive,  with 
trilling  modulation,  either  of  joy  or  sorrow.  The  bride  then 
repairs  to  the  bath,  other  ceremonies,  some  of  which  are  ex- 
tremely singular,*  precede  the  union,  which  does  not  take  place 
until  the  following  night. 

The  interior  of  the  mosque  of  Sultan  Hassan  does  not,  at  least 
to  many,  altogether  fulfill  the  promise  of  the  noble  portal.  A 
vestibule  conducts  into  an  open  court,  with  a fountain,  and 
four  recesses  covered  by  as  many  arches,  which  attract  atten- 
tion from  their  unusual  size  and  fine  proportion.  The  recess  on 
the  east  side  as  usual  is  deeper,  and  is  surmounted  by  the  lofty 
dome.  The  general  aspect  is  one  of  severe  and  somewhat 
gloomy  grandeur.  Many  are  the  legends  connected  with  it. 

A curious  contrast  to  the  lofty  entrance  of  the  mosque  of 
Hassan,  the  type  of  the  greater  number  in  the  city,  is  presented 
by  the  gateway  to  the  mosque  of  the  Azhar,  which  will  re- 
mind one,  in  many  respects,  of  the  Gothic  portals  of  western 
Europe,  though  the  detail  is  very  dissimilar.  There  is  another 
one  at  the  opposite  extremity  of  this  extensive  inclosure,  which 
is  almost  entirely  surrounded  by  houses,  through  which  are 

* See  Lane. 

9 


60 


THE  EL  AZHAR. 


narrow  passages  leading  into  the  interior  of  the  building,  peep- 
ing through  which,  (for  all  entrance  is,  under  ordinary  circum- 
stances, interdicted  to  Frank  travelers,)  a view  is  obtained  into 
the  pillared  avenues  within,  where  in  cool  shadow  are  seen, 
lounging  or  flitting  about,  such  a collection  of  Mussulmans  from 
all  parts  of  the  East,  in  their  varied  costume,  as  strongly, 
although  hopelessly,  tempted  my  curiosity.  I longed  to  mingle 
with  sostrange  a congregation  of  gownsmen.  This  is  considered 
the  principal  college  of  the  East,  and  to  receive  the  instructions 
of  its  professors  in  Arabian  literature,  students  repair  from  all 
quarters,  who  are  gratuitously  supported.  The  funds  of  this 
establishment  having  been,  like  all  the  property  belonging  to  the 
mosques,  seized  by  the  pasha,  are  so  much  reduced  that  the 
professors  have  no  longer  any  salary,  and  thus  a heavy  blow 
and  great  discouragement  to  the  influence  of  the  old  Mussul- 
man system  of  education,  necessarily  fettered  by  the  dogmas  of 
the  Koran,  has  been  dealt,  the  effect  of  which  will  probably  be 
heightened  by  the  introduction  of  European  languages  and 
ideas  into  the  pasha’s  own  schools.  Indeed,  the  pious  old 
Mussulman  justly  regards  these  as  the  ‘last  days’  of  Islam.  To 
this  college  is  attached  an  establishment  for  blind  men,  mostly 
students,  who  are  described  as  peculiarly  fanatical.  Before 
the  reduction  of  the  revenues  of  this  establishment,  its  charities 
were  very  great,  and  its  walls  afforded  shelter  to  a vast  multi- 
tude of  poor.  Mohammedan  institutions  are  on  the  wane ; 
priests  and  professors,  pillaged  of  their  revenues,  are  sunk  into 
sordid  indigence,  and  zeal  alarmingly  on  the  decrease. 

The  scene  within  the  inclosure  of  this  singular  maze  of 
buildings  must  be  very  striking.  In  going  the  round  of  the 
interior,  says  one  who  was  privileged  to  explore  it,  “ we  found 
ourselves  in  the  company  of  the  people  of  Mecca  or  Medina, 
then  in  the  midst  of  Syrians,  in  another  minute  among  Muslims 
of  Central  Africa,  next  amid  Moggrebyns  or  natives  of  North- 
ern Africa  west  of  Egypt,  then  with  European  and  Asiatic 
Turks,  and  quitting  these  we  were  introduced  to  Persians  and 


\ 


\ 


BAB  ZOOAYLEH. 


67 


Muslims  of  India.  We  were  much  affected  by  seeing  many 
of  the  blind  paupers  who  are  supported  at  the  mosque,  bent 
double  by  age,  slowly  walking  through  the  avenues  of  columns, 
knowing  from  habit  every  turn  and  every  passage,  and  looking 
like  the  patriarchs  of  the  assembled  multitude.” 

It  is  said  that  no  less  than  forty  thousand  individuals  par- 
took of  the  bounties  of  this  establishment,  and  that  on  every 
alternate  day  three  thousand  eight  hundred  pounds  of  bread, 
and  a quantity  of  oil  for  the  lamps,  were  distributed. 

Outside,  at  the  door  of  the  mosque,  is  represented  a group 
of  donkeys  with  the  ‘ Seis,’  or  groom,  awaiting  the  return  of 
some  Arabian  ladies  from  performing  their  devotions.  A little 
boy  is  seen  wdth  his  school-board,  an  old  pilgrim  is  emerging 
from  the  sacred  courts,  and  groups  of  students  are  lounging  or 
reading  the  Koran  within  the  shady  retirement  of  the  cloisters. 

The  gates  of  Cairo,  no  less  than  the  mosques  and  tombs, 
are  among  its  noble  specimens  of  Arabian  architecture,  and 
each  has  a peculiar  aspect  and  physiognomy  of  its  own.  The 
Bab  Zooayleh  is  now  in  the  interior  of  the  city,  which,  after  the 
time  of  Saladin,  was  extended  up  to  the  citadel,  so  as  to 
embrace  the  Kalat  el  Kebsh,  or  palace  of  Sultan  Tooloon,  near 
the  ancient  mosque  already  described.  At  present  this  gate 
stands  in  the  most  bustling  and  crowded  part  of  the  bazaar,  at 
the  intersection  of  the  main  avenue  with  another  principal 
street,  and  with  the  adjacent  mosque,  whose  elegant  minarets 
rest  upon  it  as  a basement,  and  are  among  the  most  striking 
ornaments  of  this  very  picturesque  portion  of  the  city.  The 
gateway  itself  bears  so  remarkable  a resemblance  to  the  Gothic 
portals  of  castles  and  towns  in  our  own  country,  especially  at 
York,  that  it  might  be  supposed  that  the  one  had  originated  the 
other.  Mr.  Lane  gives  a curious  account  of  a superstition  con- 
nected with  this  gate,  which  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  spots  haunted 
by  the  Kutb,  or  most  holy  of  the  Welees,  or  saints  of  such  high 
sanctity,  that  although  not  disembodied,  and  of  the  humblest 
appearance  and  garb,  they  are  invested  with  certain  super- 


68 


BAB  ZOOAYLEH. 


natural  powers,  though  undiscernible  save  to  some  chosen  few. 
“ One  leaf  of  its  great  wooden  door,  which  is  never  shut,  turned 
back  against  the  eastern  side  of  the  interior  of  the  gateway, 
conceals  a small  vacant  space,  which  is  said  to  be  the  place  of 
the  Ivutb.  Many  persons,  on  passing  by  it,  recite  the  Fathah, 
and  some  give  alms  to  a beggar  who  is  generally  seated  there, 
and  who  is  regarded  by  the  vulgar  as  one  of  the  servants  of  the 
Ivutb.  Numbers  of  persons  afflicted  with  headache  drive  a 
nail  into  the  door,  to  charm  away  the  pain,  and  many  sufferers 
from  the  toothache  extract  a tooth,  and  insert  it  in  a crevice 
of  the  door,  or  fix  it  in  some  other  way,  to  insure  their  not 
being  attacked  again  by  the  same  malady.  Some  curious 
individuals  often  try  to  peep  behind  the  door,  in  the  vain  hope 
of  catching  a glimpse  of  the  Ivutb,  should  he  happen  to  be 


BAB  E NUSR  AND  BAB  E FOOTOOR.  69 

there,  and  not  at  the  moment  invisible.”  The  turrets  over  this 
gate  also  serve  the  same  purpose  to  which  the  similar  portion 
of  our  own  were  formerly  devoted,  that  of  exhibiting  the  gory 
heads  of  criminals  ; those  of  the  slaughtered  Mamelukes  having 
been  the  last  affixed  upon  it. 

In  a totally  different  style,  not  in  the  least  resembling  the 
Western  Gothic,  are  the  Bab  e Nusr  and  Bab  e Footoor,  near 
to  each  other,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  city.  The  former  is 
remarkable  for  its  chasteness  of  decoration  and  design ; it 
consists  of  two  square  towers  and  a round-headed  gate.  The 
latter  is  not  perhaps  equal  to  it  in  this  respect,  but  is  more 
strikingly  grand.  The  two  bold,  advanced,  half-circular  tow- 
ers, in  front  of  the  broad  portal,  with  its  singular  border  of  elab- 
orate ornament,  combines  massive  and  imposing  grandeur  with 
richness  and  elegance ; the  masonry  too  is  particularly  fine. 

It  is  through  the  Bab  e Nusr  that  the  great  caravan  leaves 
the  city  on  its  departure  for  Mecca.  This  departure  of  the 
pilgrims  is  the  principal  spectacle  of  the  metropolis,  and 
still  forms  a scene  of  rude,  fantastic  splendor,  but  far  in- 
ferior to  what  it  once  was,  when  the  Memlooks  themselves  in 
their  splendid  costume,  so  ill  replaced  by  the  more  modern  but 
convenient  dress,  accompanied  it  forth  with  barbaric  pomp  and 
high  solemnity.  In  the  course  of  my  subsequent  wanderings,  I 
was  fortunate  enough  to  meet  with  it  on  its  march  in  the  midst 
of  the  desert,  where  it  is  of  course  a far  more  impressive 
spectacle. 

Among  the  four  hundred  mosques  in  the  city,  many  of 
which  are  in  a state  of  decay,  other  beautiful  specimens  may  be 
met  with,  but  perhaps  the  utmost  perfection  and  variety  of  this 
style  of  architecture  seems  to  have  been  reached  in  the  tombs, 
which  are  scattered  without  the  walls  on  the  south  and  east. 
Emerging  from  the  crowded  city  by  the  Bab  e Nusr,  or  Gate 
of  Victory,  the  desert  stretches  from  the  very  walls  into  the 
trembling  haze  of  distance,  and  its  dead  and  silent  expanse 
receives  an  additional  mournfulness  of  aspect  from  the  ceme- 


70 


TOMBS  OF  THE  CIRCASSIAN  MEMLOOKS. 


teries  which  glitter  and  whiten  in  the  burning  sun,  unshadowed 
by  shrub  or  tree ; some  with  their  gilt  and  gayly  turbaned 
head-stones  of  yesterday’s  erection ; others  broken  and  half 
filled  up  with  sand.  Here  the  Bedouin,  who  love  not  the  con- 
finement of  walls  nor  the  society  of  civilized  man,  establish 
themselves  on  their  flying  visits  to  the  capital,  crouching  in 
the  shade  of  the  ruinous  monuments,  and  raising  their  tempo- 
rary camp  on  the  surrounding  sands,  in  the  midst  of  their 
recumbent  camels.  As  you  advance,  the  hum  of  the  city, 
faintly  ascending  above  its  walls,  dies  away  upon  the  ear;  high 
mounds  of  rubbish  conceal  the  tops  of  its  minarets,  and, 
without  inclosure  of  any  kind,  backed  by  hills  of  an  aspect 
wildly  desolate,  these  beautiful  structures  “ rise  like  an 
exhalation”  from  the  blanching  waste.  None,  even  the  most 
indifferent,  could  behold  without  astonishment  such  erections 
in  the  bare  and  open  wilderness,  yet  this  adds  not  a little 
to  the  funereal  impressiveness  of  the  sight ; but  when  we  ap- 
proach, and  find  how  fast  oblivion  is  gathering  upon  these 
moldering  memorials  of  former  greatness,  and  still  greater 
genius,  we  might  almost  weep  that  such  a fate  must,  at  no 
great  distance  of  time,  befall  monuments,  which,  in  lands  more 
enlightened,  would  be  preserved  as  precious  creations  of  art, 
which  in  their  peculiar  style  have  never  been  surpassed. 

The  tombs  extend  for  a considerable  distance,  and  but  a 
portion  of  them  can  be  seen  in  the  annexed  illustration;  the 
most  remote,  quite  isolated  from  the  rest,  is  that  of  Melek  Adel. 
The  distant  plains,  expanding  to  the  left  of  this  monument, 
witnessed  the  final  downfall  of  the  Circassian  Memlook  dynasty, 
and  the  conquest  of  Egypt  by  the  Turks.  In  the  center  of  the 
view  is  one  of  the  numerous  tombs  erected  to  the  memory  of 
Sultan  El  Choree,  the  last  but  one  of  this  race  of  military 
princes.  He  perished  in  Syria,  in  battle  against  the  Ottoman 
sultan,  Selim,  who  marched  immediately  upon  Egypt.  Mean- 
while Toman  Bey  had  been  elected  to  fill  the  place  of  the 
unfortunate  Ghoree,  and  prepared  to  meet  the  Turks,  who, 


EL  ASHRAF  KAITBAY. 


71 


passing  his  advanced  guards,  marched  directly  upon  Cairo  by 
the  plain  of  Heliopolis.  Here  the  final  encounter  took  place, 
the  Memlooks,  so  often  victorious,  were  routed,  and  then- 
fugitive  leader  was  overtaken  and  brought  back  to  Cairo,  where 
he  was  hanged  like  a common  malefactor  upon  the  Bab 
Zooayleh.  Henceforth  the  Memlook  aristocracy  subsisted  only 
as  dependents  upon  the  Porte,  but  they  still  maintained  their 
hereditary  prowess,  till  the  strength  of  their  brilliant  cavalry 
was  broken  against  the  French  squares  at  the  battle  of  the 
Pyramids.  Finally  extinguished  by  Mehemet  Ali,  they  have 
left  but  a romantic  name  in  history,  and  these  beautiful  tombs 
fast  moldering  to  irretrievable  ruin. 

Among  the  largest  and  most  beautiful  is  that  of  El 
Ashraf  Aboo-l-Nusr  Kaitbay  e Zaheree,  the  nineteenth  sultan 
of  the  dynasty  of  the  Circassian  Memlook  kings,  who  died  and 
was  buried  there  in  1496,  a.  d.#  To  this,  as  to  the  other  tombs, 
a mosque  has  been  attached,  with  various  appendages,  but 
these  establishments  are,  I believe,  ruined,  and  abandoned  to 
poor  Arab  families  and  a solitary  Sheik  or  two,  who  hover 
like  ghosts  about  these  splendid  and  moldering  foundations ; 
and  the  whole  neighborhood  seems  a resort  of  wandering 
Arabs,  and  of  a rude  and  half-savage  class  of  the  population, 
who  quarrel  fiercely  for  the  few  piastres  of  the  occasional 
visitor.  The  style  of  all  the  tombs  is  much  the  same,  consist- 
ing of  a square  building,  pierced  with  slender  windows,  and 
surmounted  by  domes,  a peculiarity  wanting  to  our  Gothic 
architecture.  Nothing  can  exceed  the  exquisite  proportion  of 
many  of  these,  and  the  whole  wealth  of  invention  seems 
lavished  on  the  fanciful  net-work  of  arabesque  tracery  with 
which  they  are  covered,  of  which  each  tomb  displays  a different 
pattern.  The  extraordinary  variety  of  geometrical  combination 
in  Saracenic  architecture,  is  one  of  its  peculiar  characteristics. 
Less  somber  and  imposing  than  the  Gothic,  it  surpasses  it  in 
symmetry  and  grace.  The  finest  tomb  is  perhaps  this  of  Sultan 

* Wilkinson. 


72 


SULTAN  BERKOOK. 


Kaitbay.  The  lofty  minaret,  with  its  successive  stages,  taper- 
ing gracefully  to  the  summit,  and  connected  by  galleries,  is  a 
beautiful  specimen  of  this  unique  invention  of  Mohammedan 
art  in  its  highest  enrichment,  and  the  dome  is  perhaps  un- 
equaled for  its  graceful  proportion  and  its  delicate  detail,  the 
whole  producing  an  effect  at  once  grave,  elegant,  and  fanciful  ; 
an  original  combination  which  no  one  at  all  affected  by  art, 
nor  even  one  of  ruder  stamp,  can  possibly  behold  without  a 
feeling  of  exquisite  delight. 

E.  ’Zaher  Berkook,  whose  ashes  repose  within  another  fine 
mausoleum,  was  the  first  of  the  dynasty  of  Circassian  Mem- 
looks,  raised,  as  Gibbon  informs  us,  by  the  favor  of  his  mili- 
tary comrades  from  slavery  and  imprisonment  to  the  throne 
of  Egypt.  lie  was  a conspicuous  actor  at  a stirring  and 
momentous  period.  The  redoubtable  Timour  had  already 
overran  Persia,  Tartary,  and  India,  when  he  was  called 
back  from  his  distant  career  of  conquest  by  the  informa- 
tion he  received  of  the  revolt  of  the  Christians  of  Georgia, 
and  the  ambitious  designs  of  the  Turkish  sultan,  Bajazet,  Avhose 
submission,  and  that  of  his  Egyptian  allies,  he  required  in  a 
tone  of  haughty  and  contemptuous  menace.  Bajazet  returned 
scorn  with  scorn,  while  Berkook  “ braved  the  menaces,  cor- 
responded with  the  enemies,  and  detained  the  ambassadors  of 
the  Mogul.  The  first  engagement  at  Aleppo  was  favorable  to 
the  arms  of  Timour,  who  advanced  with  his  destroying  army  as 
far  as  Damascus,  where  he  was  rudely  encountered  and  almost 
overthrown  by  the  armies  of  Egypt.  A retrograde  motion  was 
imputed  to  his  distress  and  despair:  one  of  his  nephews  de- 
serted to  the  enemy,  and  Syria  rejoiced  in  the  tale  of  his  defeat, 
when  the  sultan  was  driven  by  the  revolt  of  the  Mamelukes  to 
escape  with  precipitation  and  shame  to  his  palace  at  Cairo. 
The  check  thus  received  by  Timour  rolled  back  awhile  from 
Syria  and  Egypt  the  devastating  tide  of  conquest,  although  the 
fatal  battle  of  Angora,  fought  two  years  afterward,  delivered 
the  Turkish  sultan  into  the  bands  of  the  insulting  victor; 


TOMB  OF  SULTAN  KAITBAY 


HOUSES  OF  CAIRO. 


73 


Astracan,  Carizme,  Delhi,  Ispahan,  Bagdad,  Aleppo,  Damascus, 
Smyrna,  and  a thousand  other  cities  were  sacked  or  burned,  or 
utterly  destroyed,  but  the  timely  submission  of  the  Egyptian 
sultan,  together  with  Timour’s  experience  of  the  military 
prowess  of  the  Memlooks  and  their  leader,  averted  from  Cairo 
the  fearful  visitation  which  had  befallen  so  many  other  famous 
cities. 

To  complete  this  brief  sketch  of  the  architecture  of  Cairo, 
I proceed  to  give  a general  description  of  the  style  of  building 
adopted  in  private  dwellings.  Coolness,  together  with  that 
seclusion  required  by  the  domestic  habits  of  the  Orientals,  are  the 
principal  points  which  have  been  studied  in  all  their  arrange- 
ments. The  foundation-walls  are  of  stone,  and  the  super- 
structure of  brick ; the  lower  windows  in  those  facing  the 
streets  are  above  the  line  of  vision,  even  of  persons  on  horse- 
back ; the  windows  of  the  upper  stories  project  into  the  street, 
and  are  carried  out  and  cased  externally  by  wooden  lattice 
work,  sufficiently  open  to  admit  the  air  and  light,  which  comes 
thus  softly  vailed  into  the  interior,  enabling  those  within  to 
obtain  a view  into  the  street  without,  while  they  are  themselves 
entirely  concealed  from  the  closest  scrutiny  of  passengers,  or 
even  opposite  neighboi's.  In  addition,  these  windows  are 
generally  shaded  by  a projecting  cornice  of  carved  wood-work, 
casting  deep  shadows  over  the  front,  of  graceful  and  ornamental 
patterns,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  different  views.  In  the  narrower 
streets  these  nearly  or  quite  meet,  but  in  new  houses  they  are 
being  gradually  lessened,  while  the  rich  and  raised  carving  is 
giving  place  to  glass  and  lattice  of  a simpler  character,  so  that 
by  degrees  the  picturesque  aspect  of  the  streets  will  be  much 
impaired.  A winding  passage  usually  leads  through  the 
ornamented  doorway  into  a court,  into  which  the  apartments 
look,  with  doors  conducting  to  the  harem — the  upper  apart- 
ments, exclusively  occupied  by  the  women  and  children,  with 
the  master.  In  the  court  is  generally  “ a well  of  slightly 
brackish  water,  which  filters  through  the  soil  from  the  Nile  ; and 

10 


74 


INTERIOR  OF  A HOUSE. 


on  its  most  shaded  side  are  commonly  two  water-jars,  which  are 
daily  replenished  with  Nile  water,  brought  from  the  river 
in  skins.”*  There  is  sometimes  also  a palm-tree. 

The  principal  apartment  on  the  ground-floor  is  called  a Man- 
darah,  and  in  the  older  style  of  houses  is  often  very  splendid. 
I have  selected  for  representation  one  of  unusual  size  and  rich- 
ness of  decoration,  in  a house  formerly  occupied,  I believe,  by 
one  of  the  murdered  Mamelukes,  and  now  abandoned  to  decay, — 
not  far  from  the  Frank  bazaar.  It  was  melancholy  to  behold  its 
fountains  dry,  its  marble  pavement  broken  up,  rich  inlaid 
cabinets  and  mazy  arabesques — such  as  are  not  to  be  met  with 
in  these  degenerate  days,  falling  to  pieces  with  neglect;  the 
stained  glass  of  its  wdndows  broken,  the  wild  herbs  of  the 
garden  straggling  into  the  apartment,  and  its  unfurnished  di- 
vans heaped  with  rubbish  ; while  the  spider  wrought  its  web 
undisturbed  among  the  fantastic  intricacies  of  the  tracery.  Some 
dismal  story  seemed  to  be  connected  with  it, — one  might  have 
fancied  it  the  chosen  abode  of  the  Jinns  and  Efrits  of  Arabian 
romance.  The  entrance,  on  the  right  hand,  is  by  the  door 
covered  with  minute  and  elaborate  carving.  The  middle  part 
of  the  room  is  lower  than  the  rest,  and  is  called  a durka’ah, 
which,  with  the  fountain  in  the  center,  is  paved  and  inlaid  with 
marble  of  different  colors.  To  the  right  of  this,  on  the  wall,  is 
also  a sloping  marble  slab  with  stair-like  edges,  over  which  the 
water  pours  and  trickles,  thence  passing  by  pipes  into  the 
basin  of  the  fountain.  This  is  a common  Saracenic  device,  and  I 
remember  to  have  seen  it  in  Palermo,  but  is  not  in  use  in 
modern  Egyptian  houses,  at  least  it  is  not  mentioned  by 
Lane.  The  raised  part  of  the  room  is  called  a “ leewan,”f 
paved  with  common  stone,  and  covered  with  mats  in  summer  and 
carpets  in  winter ; this  is  unusually  extensive  in  the  apartment 
before  us : it  is  surrounded  by  a divan,  or  low  seat  continued 
round  the  walls,  covered  like  a sofa,  and  with  long  cushions 
resting  against  the  wall  for  the  entire  length,  sometimes  with 
* Lane.  f Lane. 


INTERIOR  OF  A HOUSE 


INTERIOR  OF  A HOUSE.  75 

others  in  the  angles  : these  are  all  covered  with  materials  in 
richly  ornamental  patterns  more  or  less  expensive.  The  roof- 
ing of  the  “ leewan,”  as  will  be  observed,  is  supported  by 
carved  beams,  which  with  the  intervening  flat  space  are  decor- 
ated and  gilt  in  the  richest  manner.  Of  the  windows,  some  are 
glazed,  and  are  richly  ornamented  with  stained  glass,  represent- 
ing flowers,  fruits,  and  fanciful  objects  ; others,  looking  into  the 
verdure  of  the  garden,  have  simply  open  lattice  or  iron  work. 
A remarkable  and  picturesque  peculiarity  is  the  decorated 
lantern  above  the  fountain,  made  to  open  and  shut  at  pleasure 
by  means  of  a string,  serving  for  the  admission  of  air.  A 
common  device  for  this  object  is  a sloping  shed  of  boards  above 
an  opening  seen  on  the  roofs  of  the  houses,  serving  to  direct  the 
current  of  wind  into  the  apartments  below.  A similar  plan 
for  the  same  purpose  was  adopted  by  the  ancient  Egyptians. 

In  the  lateral  recesses  of  this  extensive  room  are  different 
cupboards,  or  rather  cabinets,  fancifully  inlaid  with  pearl,  and 
having  small  panels  of  delicate  and  intricate  carving ; while  the 
flat  spaces  of  the  wall  above  are  painted  in  the  grotesque 
style  resembling  the  devices  on  old  tapestry,  with  representa- 
tions of  kiosques  and  other  objects,  very  badly  executed. 

It  is  in  the  Mandarah  that  the  master  receives  his  guests, 
who,  slipping  off  their  outer  shoes  of  red  on  the  floor  of  the 
leewan,  step  up  in  their  yellow  slippers  without  soles,  which 
are  worn  under  them,  to  the  apartment  above,  and  take  their 
seats  on  the  divan  : whereupon  pipes  and  coffee  are  always 
brought  for  their  refreshment. 

The  arrangements  of  the  harem  or  upper  apartments  of  the 
family  are  minutely  described  in  the  work  of  Mr.  Lane.  In  the 
larger  houses  it  always  comprises  the  luxury  of  a bath. 

Haunted  houses  are  not  uncommon  in  Cairo  ; the  Jinn  or 
Genii,  who  figure  in  the  Arabian  Nights,  being  the  most  dread- 
ed visitants.  During  the  month  of  Ramad'han,  these  Jinn,  Mr. 
Lane  tells  us,  are  supposed  to  be  confined  in  prison  ; and  hence, 
on  the  eve  of  the  festival  which  follows  that  month,  some  of  the 


76 


EGYPTIAN  SUPERSTITION. 


women  of  Egypt,  with  the  view  of  preventing  these  objects 
from  entering  their  houses,  sprinkle  salt  upon  the  floors  of  the 
apartments,  saying  as  they  do  it,  “ In  the  name  of  God,  the 
Compassionate,  the  Merciful.” 

A curious  relic  of  ancient  Egyptian  superstition  may  here 
be  mentioned.  It  is  believed  that  each  quarter  in  Cairo  has 
its  peculiar  guardian  genius,  or  Agathodaemon,  which  has  the 
form  of  a serpent.  The  ancient  tombs  of  Egypt,  and  the  dark 
recesses  of  the  temples,  are  commonly  believed  by  the  people  of 
this  country  to  be  inhabited  by  Efrits. 

The  term  Efrit  is  commonly  applied  rather  to  an  evil  Jinneh 
than  any  other  being  : but  the  ghosts  of  dead  persons  are  also 
called  by  this  name  ; and  many  absurd  stories  are  related  of 
them ; and  great  are  the  fears  which  they  inspire. 

One  of  these  stories  is  really  so  remarkable  that  we  shall 
venture  to  quote  a short  account  of  it  from  the  excellent 
work  of  Mrs.  Poole,  the  sister  of  Mr.  Lane,  the  well-known 
Arabic  scholar,  with  whom  she  was  then  residing. 

“ After  having  searched  for  a habitation  during  a month  in 
vain,  we  were  delighted  with  the  offer  of  an  exceedingly  good 
one,  which  appeared  in  every  respect  eligible,  and  in  which  we 
are  now  residing.  But  our  domestic  comfort  in  this  new  abode 
has  been  disturbed  by  a singular  trouble,  which  has  obliged  us 
to  arrange  as  soon  as  possible  for  a removal.  The  house  is  an 
admirable  one,  being  nearly  new,  though  on  the  old  con- 
struction. 

“ We  were  much  surprised,  after  passing  a few  days  here, 
to  find  that  our  servants  were  unable  to  procure  any  rest  during 
the  night ; being  disturbed  by  a constant  knocking,  and  by 
the  appearance  of  what  they  believe  to  be  an  Efrit.  The  man- 
ner of  the  servants’  complaint  was  very  characteristic.  Having 
been  much  annoyed  one  morning  by  a noisy  quarrel  under 
our  windows,  my  brother  called  one  of  our  servants  to  ascertain 
how  it  had  arisen,  when  he  replied,  ‘It  is  a matter  of  no 
importance,  O Efendi ; but  the  subject  which  perplexes  us 


MRS.  POOLE’S  STORY. 


77 


is,  that  there  is  a devil  in  the  bath.’  My  brother  being  aware 
of  their  superstitious  prejudices,  replied,  ‘ Well,  is  there  a 
bath  in  the  world  that  you  do  not  believe  to  be  a resort  of  evil 
spirits,  according  to  the  well-known  tradition  on  that  subject?’ 
‘True,  O my  master,’  rejoined  the  man,  ‘the  case  is  so;  this 
devil  has  long  been  the  resident  of  the  house,  and  he  will  never 
permit  any  other  tenant  to  retain  its  quiet  possession  for  many 
years  ; no  one  has  remained  more  than  a month  within  these 
walls,  excepting  the  last  person  who  lived  here,  and  he,  though 
he  had  soldiers  and  slaves,  could  not  stay  more  than  about 
nine  months ; for  the  devil  disturbed  his  family  all  night.’  I 
must  here  tell  you  that  during  our  short  stay  in  the  house,  the 
maids  have  left  us,  one  after  another,  without  giving  us  any 
idea  of  their  intentions,  and  have  never  returned  ; and  the 
cause  of  their  sudden  disappearance  was  now  explained  by  the 
men,  their  fellow-servants. 

“ It  appeared,  on  inquiry,  that  the  man  to  whom  this  house 
formerly  belonged,  and  who  is  now  dead,  had,  during  his 
residence  in  it,  murdered  a poor  tradesman  who  entered  the 
court  with  his  merchandise  and  two  slaves : one  of  these  (a 
black  girl)  was  destroyed  in  the  bath,  and  you  will  easily  under- 
stand how  far  such  a story  as  this,  and  a true  one  too,  sheds  its 
influence  on  the  minds  of  a people  who  are  superstitious  to  a 
proverb. 

“ Ramad’han  arrived,  and  we  were  for  a time  freed  from  his 
visitation  ; but  when  it  ended,  the  comparative  quiet  of  our 
nights  ended  also.  To  describe  all  the  various  noises  by  which 
we  have  been  disturbed  is  impossible.  Very  frequently  the 
door  of  the  room  in  which  we  were  sitting  late  in  the  evening, 
within  two  or  three  hours  of  midnight,  was  violently  knocked 
at  many  short  intervals  : at  other  times  it  seemed  as  if  some- 
thing very  heavy  fell  upon  the  pavement  close  under  one  of  the 
windows  of  the  same  room,  or  of  one  adjoining ; and  as  these 
rooms  were  on  the  top  of  the  house,  we  imagined  at  first  that 
some  stones  or  other  things  had  been  thrown  by  a neighbor, 


78 


THE  HAUNTED  HOUSE. 


but  we  could  find  nothing  outside  after  the  noise  I have 
mentioned.  The  usual  sounds  continued  during  the  greater 
part  of  the  night,  and  were  generally  like  a heavy  trampling, 
like  the  walking  of  a person  in  large  clogs,  varied  by  knocking 
at  the  doors  of  many  of  the  apartments,  and  at  the  large  water- 
jars,  which  are  placed  in  recesses  in  the  galleries.  Our  maids 
have  come  and  gone  like  shadows  ever  since  our  residence 
here,  excepting  during  Ramad’han  ; and  sauve  qui  peut  seems 
to  have  been  their  maxim,  for  they  believe  that  one  touch  of  an 
Efrit  would  render  them  demoniacs. 

######### 

“ A few  days  since,  our  door-keeper,  a new  servant,  com- 
plained that  he  not  only  could  not  sleep,  but  that  he  never  had 
slept  since  his  arrival  more  than  a few  minutes  at  a time,  and 
that  he  never  could  sleep  consistently  with  his  duty,  unless  the 
Efrit  could  be  destroyed.  He  added,  that  he  came  every  night 
into  the  upper  gallery,  leading  to  our  sleeping-room,  and  there 
he  found  the  figure  I have  mentioned,  walking  round  and 
round,  and  concluded  with  an  anxious  request  that  his  master 
would  consent  to  his  firing  at  the  phantom,  saying  that  devils 
have  always  been  destroyed  by  the  discharge  of  fire-arms.  We 
consented  to  the  proposal,  provided  he  used  neither  ball  nor 
small  shot.  Two  days  and  nights  passed,  and  we  found  on  the 
third  that  the  door-keeper  was  waiting  to  ascertain  whether 
the  specter  were  a saint  or  a devil,  and  had  therefore  resolved 
to  question  him  on  the  ensuing  night  before  he  fired. 

“The  night  came,  and  it  was  one  of  unusual  darkness.  We 
had  really  forgotten  our  recent  intentions,  although  we  were 
talking  over  the  subject  of  the  disturbances  until  near  midnight, 
and  speculating  upon  the  cause  in  the  room  where  my  children 
were  happily  sleeping,  when  we  were  startled  by  a tremendous 
discharge  of  fire-arms,  which  was  succeeded  by  the  deep  hoarse 
voice  of  the  door-keeper  exclaiming,  ‘ There  he  lies,  the  ac- 
cursed !’  and  a sound  as  of  a creature  struggling  and  gasping 
for  breath.  In  the  next  moment  the  man  called  loudly  to  his 


THE  HAUNTED  HOUSE. 


79 


fellow-servants,  crying,  ‘ Come  up,  the  accursed  is  struck  down 
before  me  !'*  and  this  was  followed  by  such  mysterious  sounds 
that  we  believed  either  a man  had  been  shot,  and  was  in  his 
last  agony,  or  that  our  man  had  accidentally  shot  himself. 

“ My  brother  went  round  the  gallery,  while  I and  my  sister- 
in-law  stood,  like  children,  trembling  hand  in  hand,  and  my  boys 
mercifully  slept  (as  young  ones  do  sleep)  sweetly  and  soundly 
through  all  the  confusion  and  distress.  It  appeared  that  the 
man  used  not  only  ball  cartridges,  but  put  two  charges  of 
powder,  with  balls,  into  his  pistol.  I will  describe  the  event, 
however,  in  his  own  words: — ‘The  Efrit  passed  me  in  the 
gallery  and  repassed  me,  when  I thus  addressed  it,  ‘ Shall  we 
quit  this  house,  or  will  you  do  so?’  ‘You  shall  quit  it,’  he 
answered ; and,  passing  me  again,  he  threw  dirt  into  my  right 
eye.  This  proved  he  was  a devil,’  continued  the  man,  ‘ and  I 
wrapped  my  cloak  around  me  and  watched  the  specter  as  it 
receded.  It  stopped  in  that  corner,  and  I observed  its  appear- 
ance attentively.  It  was  tall,  and  perfectly  white.  I stooped, 
and  before  I moved  again  discharged  my  pistol,  which  I had 
before  concealed,  and  the  accursed  was  struck  down  before  me, 
and  here  are  the  remains.’  So  saying,  he  picked  up  a small 
burned  mass,  which  my  brother  showed  us  afterward,  resembling 
more  the  sole  of  a shoe  than  any  thing  else,  but  perforated  i>y 
fire  in  several  places,  and  literally  burned  to  a cinder.  This  the 
man  asserted  was  always  the  relic  when  a devil  was  destroyed, 
and  it  lay  on  the  ground  under  a part  of  the  wall  where  the 
bullets  had  entered.  The  noise  which  succeeded  the  report, 
and  which  filled  me  with  horror,  is  and  must  ever  remain  a 
mystery.  On  the  following  morning  we  closely  examined  the 
spot,  and  found  nothing  that  could  throw  light  on  the  subject. 
The  burned  remains  do  not  help  us  to  a conclusion  ; one  thing, 
however,  I can  not  but  believe,  that  some  one  who  had  person- 
ated the  spirit  suffered  some  injury,  and  that  the  darkness 
favored  his  escape.” 

This  story  so  remarkably  resembles  one  told  by  the  different 


80 


ADVENTURE  AT  DAMASCUS. 


members  of  the  Wesley  family,  that  it  might  almost  be  taken 
for  an  oriental  version  of  it,  with  the  sole  difference  of  the 
catastrophe  in  the  latter.  And  what  is  curious  in  both  in- 
stances, the  cause  of  the  mysterious  noises  appears  to  have 
eluded  all  research.  We  should  observe,  that  Mr.  Lane  was  at 
length  compelled  to  leave  the  haunted  house,  and  the  next 
comer  was  even  more  tormented. 

We  have  had  some  very  lively  descriptions  of  the  interior  of 
the  harem,  and  of  the  habits  of  its  fair  inmates,  from  English 
ladies  who  have  been  admitted,  but  particularly  from  Mrs.  Poole. 
But  I never  met  in  Cairo  with  any  parallel  to  the  following 
curious  adventure  which  befell  me  some  years  since  at  Damascus, 
and  which  is  not  without  interest  here,  as  it  is  an  infraction  of 
Mohammedan  custom  in  both  cities,  of  which  I never  re- 
member to  have  heard  another  instance. 

It  should  be  observed  that  the  inhabitants  of  Damascus  have 
always  enjoyed  the  distinction,  so  honorable  to  the  more 
orthodox  Moslem,  of  being,  after  those  of  Mecca,  the  most 
special  haters  of  the  Giaour ; and  this  pious  and  proper  aver- 
sion has  been  increased  and  kept  alive  by  the  annual  passage  of 
the  great  Mecca  caravan.  Every  body  knows  the  Turkish 
proverb — “ If  thy  neighbor  has  been  once  to  Mecca,  have  a 
care  of  him;  if  twice,  deal  not  with  him;  but  if  three  times, 
avoid  him  as  thou  wouldest  the  plague  of  Allah!”  The  native 
Christian  inhabitants  were  always  under  the  harrow,  and  but 
one  single  and  obscure  European  agent  had  ever  been  able, 
hitherto,  to  naturalize  himself.  The  visits  of  travelers, 
although  made  in  the  most  rigorous  oriental  garb,  were  always 
attended  with  risk.  Frankland,  though  he  travestied  himself 
in  robe  and  turban,  could  not  disguise  his  dog,  a wiry  little 
English  terrier,  which  was  assaulted  by  the  Damascene  curs, 
and,  but  that  his  master  seized  and  rolled  him  up  in  his 
garments,  and  rode  off  with  him  to  the  Latin  convent,  followed 
by  a host  of  howling  enemies,  would  have  led  to  his  detection 
and  insult.  Even  so  late  as  the  time  of  Lamartine,  “the  Frank 


AN  ADVENTURE  AT  DAMASCUS. 


81 


Emir,”  with  his  imposing  cortege,  the  same  precautions  were 
needful ; and  thus  it  may  be  supposed  that  it  was  not  without 
some  twinging  apprehensions  that  I prepared  to  make  my 
solitary  entry  in  the  obnoxious  European  costume. 

My  visit  however  “ had  fallen”  on  good  and  not  on  “ evil 
times,”  upon  an  era  of  change  indeed  remarkable  and  momen- 
tous, not  only  for  its  immediate,  but  for  its  far-stretching  con- 
sequences, and  distinguished  for  the  first  insertion  into  the  old 
Mussulman  fabric  of  the  wedge  of  European  civilization.  The 
Turkish  power  was  broken  ; the  Egyptian  flag  waved  upon  the 
walls  of  Damascus,  planted  there,  too,  far  less  by  the  brute 
valor  of  the  troops  of  Mehemet  Ali,  than  by  the  tactics  of 
those  French  generals  (an  ominous  circumstance,  and  well 
deserving  the  closest  attention  of  our  statesmen)  who  had 
originally  formed  and  who  in  reality  commanded  them. 

When  the  rapid  victories  of  Ibrahim  Pasha  had  made  him 
master  of  Syria,  and  given  him  the  sudden  possession  of 
Damascus,  and  when  he  came  to  establish  there  his  impartial 
system  of  administration,  by  which  the  Christians  could  no 
more  (as  by  immemorial  usage  had  been  their  lot)  be  trampled 
upon  by  the  haughty  Mussulmans,  it  was  deemed  a fit  season  to 
establish,  if  possible,  an  English  consulate  in  so  important  a 
station.  After  much  opposition,  Mr.  Farren  at  length  entered 
upon  this  post  with  every  mark  of  honor  from  the  local 
authorities,  and  by  his  conciliatory  manners  soon  contrived  to 
render  himself  extremely  popular  among  the  higher  classes. 
Still,  the  state  of  Syria  was  uncertain  and  convulsed  ; a reverse 
of  the  pasha’s  success  would  bring  back  into  fierce  reaction  all 
the  Mussulman  intolerance ; and  sudden  reprisals  on  the  Chris- 
tians were  apprehended,  in  whose  fate  Europeans  would  natu- 
rally be  involved.  They  were  thus  in  a constant  state  of  jeopardy; 
and  although  the  consul  had  a town  house,  he  lived  in  the 
suburb  of  Salaheyih,  whence  in  case  of  a popular  outbreak  he 
might  easily  make  good  his  escape  to  the  mountains.  The  day 
after  my  arrival  we  visited  the  city.  As  our  horses  clattered 

11 


S2 


AN  ADVENTURE  AT  DAMASCUS. 


through  the  narrow  streets,  the  crowd  silently  made  way  for 
us,  and  curses,  not  loud,  but  deep,  were  no  doubt  muttered 
in  the  choicest  Arabic.  Many  a filthy  dervish,  pale  with 
suppressed  hate,  looked  daggers  as  we  passed  him  by. 
While  such  was  the  sullen  fanaticism  of  the  populace, 
only  restrained  by  the  arms  of  Ibrahim,  another  spirit  was 
gaining  ground  among  certain  of  the  higher  classes.  The 
notorious  indifference  of  the  pasha  himself  to  the  Moslem  in- 
stitutes, and  the  liberalism  of  his  European  officers,  which  had 
infected  also  the  native  ones,  began  to  influence  certain  of  the 
Mussulman  aristocracy ; and,  as  extremes  commonly  meet, 
while  the  populace  were  ready  to  tear  to  pieces  the  Giaours 
who  dared  to  insult  their  streets  in  the  odious  hat  and  European 
dress,  some  of  the  higher  illuminati  took  a secret  pleasure  in 
showing  their  emancipation  from  the  prejudices  of  their  fore- 
fathers. Of  this  class,  principally,  were  the  visitors  to  the 
consul's  house.  I was  on  one  occasion  engaged  in  drawing  the 
costume  of  a native  female  servant,  when  a man  of  some  dis- 
tinction entered,  a Moollah  of  high  descent,  claiming  as  his 
ancestor  no  less  a personage  than  the  father  of  Ayesha,  the 
favorite  wife  of  the  prophet  himself.  His  demeanor  was 
exceedingly  grave  and  dignified,  and,  as  I afterward  remarked, 
he  was  saluted  in  the  streets  with  singular  respect.  His  amuse- 
ment was  extremely  great  as  he  saw  the  girl’s  figure  rapidly 
transferred  to  paper ; he  smiled  from  time  to  time,  as  if  oc- 
cupied with  some  pleasant  idea,  of  which  at  length  he  delivered 
himself,  expressing  his  wish,  to  our  infinite  surprise,  that  I 
should  come  to  his  house  in  company  with  the  consul,  and  take 
a drawing  of  his  favorite  wife.  It  may  be  supposed  that  so 
singular  an  invitation,  one  so  opposed  to  every  Mussulman  preju- 
dice, and  even  established  custom,  much  amused  and  excited  us. 
At  the  appointed  hour  we  repaired  to  the  old  Moollah’s  abode. 
Externally,  unlike  the  houses  of  Cairo,  it  presented  nothing  but 
a long  dark  wall  upon  the  side  of  a narrow  dusty  lane ; within, 
however,  every  thing  bore  testimony  to  the  wealth  and  luxury 


AN  ADVENTURE  AT  DAMASCUS. 


83 


of  its  owner.  The  saloon  into  which  we  were  ushered  was 
spacious  and  splendid,  marble-paved,  with  a‘  bubbling  fountain 
in  the  midst,  and  a roof  supported  on  wooden  beams  highly 
enriched  and  gilt  in  the  arabesque  fashion.  A large  door, 
across  which  was  slung  a heavy  leathern  curtain  which  could 
be  unclosed  and  shut  at  pleasure,  similar  to  those  adopted  in 
Catholic  churches  in  Italy,  opened  on  the  court,  from  which 
another  communicated  with  the  mysterious  apartments  of  the 
harem.  We  seated  ourselves  on  the  divan, — our  host  shortly 
entered,  smiling  at  his  own  thoughts  as  before ; he  doffed  his 
turban  and  pelisse,  retaining  only  his  red  cap  and  silk  jacket ; 
he  rubbed  his  hands  continually,  his  eyes  twinkled,  and  he 
seemed  to  abandon  himself  entirely  to  the  merry  humor  of  the 
moment.  A few  words  had  hardly  passed  before  the  curtain 
was  gently  pushed  aside ; the  lady,  like  a timid  fawn,  peeped  in, 
then,  closing  the  curtain,  advanced  a few  steps  into  the  room, 
watching  the  eye  of  her  husband ; who,  without  rising,  half 
laughing,  yet  half  commanding,  beckoned  her  to  a seat  on  the 
divan,  while  we,  our  hands  on  our  bosoms  in  the  oriental 
fashion,  bent  respectfully  as  she  came  forward  and  placed  herself 
between  the  old  Moollah  and  Mr.  Farren.  Speaking  Arabic  well, 
the  latter  was  enabled  to  commence  a conversation,  in  which, 
after  some  slight  hesitation  at  this  first  introduction  to  mixed 
society,  the  lady  appeared  to  bear  her  part  with  much  ease  and 
vivacity.  This  delighted  her  husband,  who  could  hardly  help 
expressing  his  satisfaction  by  laughing  outright,  so  proud  was 
he  of  the  talents  of  his  wife,  and  so  tickled  with  the  novelty  of 
the  whole  affair.  While  this  was  going  forward,  I observed 
that  the  curtain  of  the  door  was  drawn  aside  by  a white  hand, 
but  so  gently  as  not  at  first  to  attract  the  attention  of  the 
Moollah,  (who  sat  with  his  back  toward  it,)  and  a very  lovely 
face,  with  all  the  excitement  of  trembling  curiosity  in  its  laugh- 
ing black  eyes,  peered  into  the  apartment,  then  another,  and 
another,  till  some  half-dozen  were  looking  over  one  another’s 
shoulders,  furtively  glancing  at  the  Giaours,  in  the  most  earnest 


84 


AN  ADVENTURE  AT  DAMASCUS. 


silence,  and  peeping  edgeway  at  the  old  fellow,  to  see  it  tney 
were  noticed ; but  he  either  was  or  affected  to  be  unconscious 
of  their  presence,  while  the  consul  and  myself  maintained  the 
severest  gravity  of  aspect.  Emboldened  by  this  impunity,  and 
provoked  by  the  ludicrous  seriousness  of  our  visages,  they  be- 
gan to  criticize  the  Giaours  freely,  tittering,  whispering,  and 
comparing  notes  so  loudly,  that  the  noise  attracted  the  attention 
of  the  old  man,  who  turned  round  his  head,  when  the  curtain 
instantly  popped  to,  and  all  again  was  silent.  But  ere  long, 
these  lively  children  of  a larger  growth,  impelled  by  irresistible 
curiosity,  returned  again  to  their  station — their  remarks  were 
now  hardly  restrained  within  a whisper,  and  they  chattered  and 
laughed  with  a total  defiance  of  decorum.  The  favorite  bit 
her  lips,  and  looked  every  inch  a Sultana  at  this  intolerable 
presumption ; whereupon  the  old  man  gravely  arose  and  drove 
them  back  into  the  harem,  as  some  old  pedagogue  would  a bevy 
of  noisy  romps.  Delivered  from  this  interruption,  the  lady,  at 
a sign  from  her  liege  lord,  proceeded  to  assume  the  pose  re- 
quired for  the  drawing.  She  had  assumed  for  this  occasion  her 
richest  adornments  ; her  oval  head-dress  was  of  mingled  flowers 
and  pearls,  her  long,  closely-fitting  robe,  open  at  the  sleeves  and 
half-way  down  the  figure,  was  of  striped  silk,  a splendid  shawl 
was  wreathed  gracefully  around  the  loins,  and  a rich  short 
jacket  was  thrown  over  the  rest  of  her  attire ; her  feet  were 
thrust  into  embroidered  slippers,  but  the  elegance  of  her  gait 
was  impaired  by  her  walking  on  a sort  of  large  ornamented 
pattens  some  inches  from  the  ground.  It  may  be  supposed  I 
did  not  keep  the  lady  standing  longer  than  was  absolutely 
necessary.  When  I had  finished,  our  host,  with  a smile  of 
peculiar  significance,  directed  her  attention  to  a small  carved 
cupboard,  or  cabinet,  ornamented  with  pearl,  from  which  she 
proceeded  to  draw  forth — mirabile  dictu  ! — a glass  vessel  con- 
taining that  particular  liquor  forbidden  to  the  faithful ; and 
pouring  it  out  in  glasses,  handed  it  to  us  all,  then,  at  her  hus- 
band’s suggestion,  helped  herself,  and,  as  we  pledged  one 


AN  ADVENTURE  AT  DAMASCUS. 


85 


another,  the  exhilaration  of  our  pious  Mussulman  entertainer 
seemed  to  know  no  bounds.  At  the  loud  clapping  of  hands,  a 
female  slave  had  entered  with  a large  tray  covered  with  the 
choicest  delicacies  of  Arab  cookery — chopped  meat  rolled  up 
in  the  leaves  of  vegetables,  and  other  and  more  recherche  dishes, 
of  exquisite  piquancy  of  flavor  ; this  was  placed  before  us  on 
a small  stool,  together  with  spoons  for  our  especial  use.  To 
complete  our  entertainment,  we  were  favored  with  a specimen 
of  the  talents  of  an  Almeh,  or  singing  woman,  confounded  by 
so  many  travelers  with  the  Ghawazee,  or  dancing  girls.  In 
long  low  strains  she  began  to  chant  a lugubrious  romance, 
probably  some  tale  of  hapless  love  and  woe  ; her  monotonous 
cadences  would  have  driven  Hotspur  mad,  worse  than 

“ To  hear  a brazen  can’stick  turn’d, 

Or  a dry  wheel  grate  on  an  axletree 

but  as  the  story  proceeded,  the  lady  appeared  rapt,  the  tears 
filled  her  eyes,  and  she  exhibited  every  sign  of  the  deepest 
emotion  ; so  different  are  the  modes  by  which  the  same 
universal  feelings  may  be  affected. 

Shortly  after,  we  took  our  leave.  On  my  way  home,  I could 
not  but  remark  to  Mr.  Farren,  that  the  favorite  wife  of  our 
host  was  by  no  means  equal  in  point  of  beauty  to  some  of  her 
less  privileged  inmates  of  the  harem.  He  replied  that  he  had 
also  noticed  this,  and  mentioned  it  to  the  old  Moollah,  who  had 
frankly  explained  the  reason  of  his  preference.  She  alone,  he 
said,  could  devise  amusement  for  him,  converse  with  him,  and 
lighten  the  monotony  of  his  vacant  hours.  Perhaps  too  she 
was  no  less  skilled  in  those  peculiar  arts  which  form  the  study 
of  oriental  women ; for,  however  some  may  delight  to  paint  the 
life  of  the  harem  ‘ en  beau,’  we  suspect  it  is  but  a sad  mixture 
of  mere  ennui  and  sensuality. 

There  are  numerous  interesting  excursions  to  be  made  from 
Cairo.  The  pleasantest  are  to  Shoubra,  Rhoda,  Heliopolis, 


86 


SHOUBRA  AND  RHODA. 


and  the  pyramids,  which  I shall  notice  in  their  turn.  In 
this  burning  climate,  and  dusty  soil,  it  is  no  wonder  that  the 
imagination  of  an  Arab  paints  tranquil  repose  in  a latticed 
kiosque,  by  the  side  of  trickling  waters,  and  under  the  shade  of 
scented  gardens,  with  perhaps  the  addition  of  an  Houri  or  two, 
as  the  greatest  of  all  earthly  delights.  It  is  difficult  to  form 
an  idea  of  the  absolute  craving  of  a northern  traveler  for  a 
wholesome  bit  of  green  sward,  with  a bubbling  runnel  of 
water,  a common  field,  with  hedge-row  elm  and  hillock  green, 
to  relieve  the  eternal  drought,  and  dust,  and  sultriness.  But 
these  things  are  impossible  in  Egypt.  In  the  hope  of  some- 
thing in  the  shape  of  grass,  I mounted  my  donkey  and 
galloped  one  day  to  the  pasha’s  kiosque  and  gardens  at  Shoubra, 
beneath  a fine  avenue  of  trees  completely  overshadowing  the 
road  which  runs  pleasantly  near  the  Nile.  The  gardens  are 
extensive,  and  well  kept,  consisting  of  long  green  avenues 
paved  with  pebbles,  and  bordered  with  rows  of  exotics,  which 
exhale  the  most  delicious  odors ; here  and  there  are  foun- 
tains prettily  ornamented,  and  overhung  with  trees,  refreshing 
enough  after  coming  from  Cairo.  There  is  a very  extensive  bath, 
and  a kiosque  overlooking  the  garden,  which  is  a favorite  re- 
treat of  the  late  pasha’s.  It  is  pleasant  enough  to  while  away  an 
hour  or  two  here,  but  a far  prettier  place  is  Rhoda,  an  island  in 
the  Nile,  opposite  Old  Cairo,  where,  under  the  direction  of 
Mr.  Trail,  an  English  master  gardener,  who  has  a pretty 
bower  himself  among  these  shades  of  his  own  creation,  gardens 
of  great  beauty  have  been  realized.  The  situation  is  happy, 
the  Nile  adding  much  to  the  landscape,  and  one  wanders  half 
enchanted  among  irregular,  shady  bosquets  of  the  most  delicious 
fragrant  trees,  and  shrubs,  and  brilliant  flowers,  through  which 
peeps  are  obtained  upon  the  river,  with  its  flitting  white  sails, 
and  the  distant  pyramids.  Nor  are  the  decorations  of  art  want- 
ing ; for  there  is  also  a very  pretty  building,  with  a shell-paved 
grotto,  and  a small  piece  of  water.  I repeatedly  visited  this 
place,  and  took  the  greatest  delight  in  its  verdant  alleys  ; yet 


f 

MOSQUE  OF  AMR.  KASR  ES  SHEMA.  87 

something  I thought  was  deficient,  my  ideas  of  a perfect  oriental 
garden  were  not  realized.  I wanted  to  see  a wilderness  of 
rustling  shades,  overarched  by  the  immense  green  leaves  of  the 
banana,  and  the  tall,  rustling  palm,  with  dense  thickets  of  other 
trees,  intermingled  with  an  infinite  variety  of  those  delicious 
exotics,  covered  with  brilliant  flowers,  which  makes  the  sense 
ache  with  their  voluptuous  fragrance  ; a perfect  paradisaical 
bower,  such  as  might  be  created  from  the  rich  elements  of  east- 
ern vegetation,  with  kiosques  of  the  genuine  Arabian  architec- 
ture, and  fountains  which  might  maintain  perpetual  coolness. 
Of  such  I have  often  dreamed  among  the  alleys  of  Rhoda. 
These  beautiful  gardens  were  formed  at  the  expense  of  the  late 
Ibrahim  Pasha,  whose  palace  and  harem  are  on  the  opposite  or 
Cairo  bank  of  the  channel,  buried  in  trees  and  gardens,  which 
extend  all  the  way  to  Cairo,  in  place  of  the  old  dust  heaps  which 
formerly  stood  near,  and  which  were  removed  by  his  orders. 
These  are  indeed  noble  improvements. 

Between  Rhoda  and  Cairo  is  a dreary,  half-desert  region, 
where  however  there  are  various  objects  of  interest  which  may 
be  glanced  at  on  the  way  back.  There  is  the  mosque  of  Amr, 
to  which  allusion  has  been  made,  the  oldest  in  Cairo  and  its 
environs,  and  which  displays  small,  round-headed  arches,  ap- 
parently copied  from  the  Byzantine,  before  the  introduction  of 
the  pointed  arch ; the  Kasr  es  Shema,  the  stronghold  of  the 
Byzantine  power,  from  which  the  Saracen  conqueror  wrested 
Egypt.  It  presents  extremely  high,  and  apparently  impregnable 
walls,  with  gates  admitting  to  the  maze  of  Coptic  buildings 
within,  some  of  which  are  elevated  on  the  rampart  itself.  It 
contains  several  churches  and  a convent,  in  which  is  a grotto 
traditionally  the  retreat  of  the  holy  family  when  in  Egypt.  It 
is  indeed  a curious  nest.  And  beside  this  the  Copts  have  other 
convents  in  the  neighborhood.  It  is  impossible  for  the  most 
ordinary  physiognomist  not  to  be  struck  with  the  heavy, 
sullen,  and  somewhat  sinister  look  of  this  singular  people,  so 
different  from  either  the  Turkish  or  Arab  race.  Perhaps  some- 


88 


THE  JEWISH  CEMETERY. 


thing  of  this  may  be  derived  from  their  former  degraded  posi- 
tion, yet  not  altogether  so  ; and  from  all  that  has  been  said  of 
them,  their  moral  characteristics  are  answerable  to  this  forbid- 
ding exterior  ; with  the  worst  oriental  vices,  they  are  without 
its  redeeming  virtues  and  high  qualities,  and  they  may  be 
compared  to  the  Levantine  Greeks  for  subtlety  and  intrigue, 
without  possessing  any  of  their  mercurial  liveliness  and  genius. 

In  this  vicinity  was  also  the  Egyptian  Babylon,  on  an 
eminence,  and  the  site  of  the  Arab  cities  which  were  finally 
supplanted  by  Cairo.  And  there  is  a spot  which  I also  visited 
once  with  Mr.  Lieder,  between  this  neighborhood  and  the 
sterile  crags  of  Mokattam — the  burial-ground  of  the  Jews.  This 
is  a dreary  place  beyond  the  Arab  cemetery  to  the  west  of  the 
citadel,  quite  in  the  open  desert,  and  from  its  humble  slabs  is 
a wide  view  over  the  Nile  and  the  site  of  Memphis,  with  the 
whole  range  of  pyramids  from  Sakhara  to  Ghizeh,  the  quarries 
of  Toura,  and  the  mouth  of  that  wild  valley  which  conducts 
to  the  shores  of  the  Red  Sea  near  Suez.  Among  the  many 
theories  respecting  the  Israelites,  is  that  which  supposes  that 
they  labored  on  the  pyramids,  and  there  is  an  inscription 
among  the  quarries  at  Toura,  in  the  Sinaitic  character,  which, 
as  it  has  been  averred,  records  their  hard  bondage  under  their 
Egyptian  taskmasters  ; while  some  also,  supposing  that  Mem- 
phis, and  not  Zoan,  was  the  seat  of  the  Pharaoh  alluded  to  in 
Scripture,  make  the  Israelites  to  have  retreated  from  this 
vicinity  by  the  valley  in  question  to  the  shores  of  the  Red  Sea. 
This  appears  no  less  probable,  than  the  generally  received 
opinion  that  their  departure  took  place  from  the  lower  Delta ; 
and  so  deeply  interesting  is  the  whole  subject,  that  it  casts  an 
influence  over  the  mind  when  visiting  this  desolate  desert 
cemetery  of  this  wonderful  people.  Still  nearer  to  the  city  are 
some  exquisitely  beautiful  Saracenic  tombs,  like  slender  towers, 
quite  unique  in  design,  which  are  well  worthy  of  attention. 
Here  too  is  the  tomb  of  Mehemet  Ah  and  his  family,  externally 
among  the  most  humble  of  these  endless  and  beautiful  monu- 


EXCURSION'  TO  HELIOPOLIS. 


89 


ments,  but  within  described  as  particularly  “ snug  and  comfort- 
able lying.” 

It  is  a pleasant  ride  of  two  hours  from  Cairo  to  the  site  of 
Heliopolis.  Passing  through  the  Bab  e Nusr,  and  a long 
suburb,  the  road  keeps  between  avenues  of  acacias,  along  near 
the  edge  of  the  cultivated  land,  which  is  watered  by  channels 
from  the  Nile,  communicating  with  the  canal  which  traverses  the 
city,  and  presenting  many  pretty  rural  scenes.  In  the  desert 
on  the  right  are  one  or  two  of  the  ruinous  tombs  straggling 
afar  from  the  cemetery  of  Kaitbay.  One  of  these  appertains 
to  the  celebrated  Melek  Adel,  the  brother  of  Saladin.  Before 
reaching  the  mounds  of  Heliopolis  is  a well  of  fine  water,  on 
the  border  of  a garden  of  citrons  and  palms ; in  the  midst  of 
these  is  a venerable  old  sycamore  with  hollow  trunk,  under 
which  the  holy  family  reposed,  according  to  tradition,  on  the 
flight  into  Egypt,  and  drank  of  the  well.  It  is  in  truth  a very 
pretty  spot ; the  citron  thickets  resound  with  the  music  of  birds, 
and  large  vultures  rock  to  and  fro  on  the  trembling  branches 
of  the  palms ; the  knotted  hollow  trunk  bears,  like  the  old  olives 
in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  marks  of  the  knives  of  im- 
memorable  pilgrims.  The  balsam  tree,  according  to  Pococke, 
was  brought  here  by  Cleopatra  from  the  celebrated  gardens  of 
Jericho,  but  it  is  no  longer  met  with  in  either  place.  A little 
beyond  the  village  of  Matareeh  we  enter  the  area  of  Heliopolis, 
between  the  mounds  which  indicate  the  walls  of  crude  brick 
which  surrounded  it.  The  city  was  small,  about  half  a mile 
square  ; it  was  mei'ely  a collection  of  colleges  and  temples,  but 
of  the  greatest  celebrity,  as  the  chief  seat  of  Egyptian  learning. 
Strabo  was  shown  the  extensive  dwellings  of  the  learned  priests, 
and  the  houses  where  Eudoxus  and  Plato  remained  thirteen 
years  under  their  tuition.  The  traveler  who  approaches  the 
site  along  a dead  level,  is  surprised  to  find  that  Heliopolis 
stood  formerly  on  an  artificial  elevation,  overlooking  lakes 
which  were  fed  by  canals  communicating  with  the  Nile. 
Nothing  whatever  remains  of  the  splendid  edifices  of  this 

1. - 


90 


HELIOPOLIS. 


city  but  one  solitary  obelisk,  about  sixty-two  feet  high,  seen 
from  afar  rising  above  a grove  of  date  and  acacia  trees. 
It  bears  the  name  of  Osirtesen  I.,  with  whom  Joseph  is 
supposed  to  have  been  cotemporary ; and  it  is  thus  one  of 
the  most  ancient  monuments  in  Egypt.  The  base  is  buried 
several  feet  in  the  earth  that  has  gradually  accumulated  after 
the  inundation,  which  now  enters  the  area,  described  as  formerly 
overlooking  the  surrounding  level.  Osirtesen  I.  is  the  first 
great  name  in  Theban  history ; he  reigned  over  Upper  and 
Lower  Egypt.  He  was  the  builder  of  the  older  and  smaller 
part  of  the  great  temple  of  Karnak.  It  was  most  probably 
at  Heliopolis  that  Moses  acquired  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyp- 
tians, and  where  he  planned  the  liberation  of  his  countrymen. 
Here  too,  or  in  the  vicinity,  Jeremiah  wrote  his  Lamentations 
for  their  downfall.  From  the  learned  priests  of  Heliopolis 
Plato,  who  studied  here  several  years,  is  believed  to  have 
derived  the  doctrine  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  of  a 


future  state  of  rewards  and  punishments.  It  has  been  mentioned 
in  the  description  of  Alexandria,  that  the  seat  of  learning  was 
transferred  hence  to  that  city,  and  that  the  obelisks  of  Cleopatra 
(so  called)  once  ornamented  the  fallen  city  of  Heliopolis. 


EXCURSION  TO  THE.  PYRAMIDS. 


91 


It  is  singular  that  this  neighborhood,  the  probable  scene  of 
the  Exodus  of  the  Israelites,  persecuted  by  the  Egyptian 
Pharaohs,  should,  in  the  reign  of  the  Ptolemies,  have  afforded  a 
refuge  for  certain  of  their  descendants  from  the  persecution  of 
Antiochus,  king  of  Syria.  Onias,  son  of  the  high-priest  of 
Jerusalem,  took  refuge  at  Alexandria,  and  besought  Ptolemy  to 
grant- him  permission  to  build  a temple  like  that  of  Jerusalem, 
and  to  raise  up  a frontier  defense  against  the  aggressions  of  his 
Syrian  rival.  The  permission  was  granted.  The  temple  of 
Onion  was  finished,  other  small  cities  were  grouped  around  it, 
and  a considerable  body  of  Jews  established  themselves  in  the 
vicinity  of  their  ancient  seat  of  Goshen,  where  they  remained 
till  a late  period.  The  site  of  Onion  is  most  probably  at  Tel  el 
Yehood,  or  ‘the  mound  of  the  Jews,’  about  twelve  miles  north- 
east of  Heliopolis. 

From  the  height  of  the  citadel  and  from  every  open  space 
about  Cairo,  we  had  seen  the  pyramids  towering  in  the  dis- 
tance for  several  days  ; we  now  prepared  to  visit  them.  As  the 
distance  is  not  great,  some  parties  go  early  in  the  morning 
and  contrive  to  return  by  night ; others,  camping  out  the  first 
night,  proceed  the  next  day  to  Sakhara,  the  site  of  Memphis, 
but  the  increasing  inundation,  by  covering  the  plain,  rendered 
this  latter  part  of  the  expedition  almost  useless.  We  deter- 
mined, however,  to  pass  a night  at  Ghizeh,  and  to  see  the  sun 
rise  from  the  summit  of  the  great  pyramid.  But  little  prepara- 
tion is  nefedful,  some  of  the  excavated  tombs  serving  as  a 
nightly  shelter,  and  the  neighboring  Arabs  furnishing  njilk 
and  other  necessaries.  Some  cold  provisions  and  a few  candles 
were  all  with  which  we  chose  to  encumber  ourselves.  We  set 
forth  from  Cairo  in  the  midst  of  one  of  those  afternoon  tempests 
of  hot  suffocating  dust  which  are  among  its  most  tormenting 
plagues,  penetrating  into  the  inmost  recesses  of  the  houses. 
The  air  came  in  hot  gusts  like  blasts  from  the  mouth  of  a fur- 
nace ; the  impalpable  sand  whirled  and  eddied  through  the 
narrow,  crowded  streets,  filling  the  mouth,  ears,  and  eyes,  and 


92 


THE  FERRY  AT  GHIZEH. 


obscuring  all  but  the  nearest  objects  in  a cloud  of  pale  red 
haze.  We  kept  on  our  way  nevertheless;  by  the  time  we 
reached  the  open  suburbs,  the  squall  gradually  passed  over ; 
and  when  we  reached  the  ferry  over  the  Nile  at  Old  Cairo,  the 
sky  was  perfectly  serene. 

This  ferry  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  as  well  as  bustling 
spots  in  Egypt.  The  light  arabesque  houses  and  swarming 
cafes  of  Old  Cairo  run  parallel  with  the  river,  and  in  front 
is  an  open  space  piled  up  with  immense  heaps  of  corn,  which, 
in  this  dry  climate,  are  left  without  danger  in  the  open  air. 
There  are  women  selling  rich  clusters  of  grapes,  melons,  figs, 
and  dates.  An  incessant  and  most  noisy  crowd  pours  down  to 
the  ferry  upon  horses,  camels,  and  donkeys.  The  river  comes 
down  in  a broad  and  glassy  current,  divided  into  two  chan- 
nels by  the  island  of  Rhoda,  the  greenest  and  most  beautiful  in 
all  Egypt,  at  the  point  of  which  is  the  building  containing  the 
Nilometer,  for  ascertaining  the  rise  of  the  river.  Its  banks  are 
lined  by  large  djerms,  or  carrying  boats,  while  others  sweep 
down  with  their  blue  striped  latine  sails,  swelling  to  the  breeze 
like  the  expanded  wings  of  some  enormous  bird.  On  the  op- 
posite side,  above  the  chocolate-colored  alluvial  bank,  extends 
for  miles  a rich  green  level,  brilliant  with  luxuriant  and  va- 
riegated crops,  dotted  with  palm  groves,  and  enlivened  by  Arab 
villages  and  minarets.  At  its  extremity,  in  the  strongest  con- 
trast, are  the  yellow  sands  of  the  Libyan  desert,  on  the  rising 
edge  of  which  are  ranged  the  eternal  pyramids.  In  the  time 
of  the  Romans,  when  Memphis  was  yet  a great  city,  there  was  a 
bridge  of  boats  across  the  Nile  somewhere  near  this  spot;  but 
now  the  communication  is  entirely  kept  up  by  means  of  the 
ferry.  We  squeezed  down  with  the  rest,  and  after  much  con- 
tention among  the  boatmen  for  the  prize  of  an  extra  piastre, 
were  huddled,  with  our  donkeys,  into  one  of  the  smaller  barks ; 
and,  the  huge  sail  being  loosed,  in  a few  moments  flew  across 
to  the  opposite  side,  and  mustered  our  donkeys  upon  the  raised 
agger  or  dike.  Our  ride  across  the  plain  was  somewhat  cir- 


THE  FERRY  AT  OLD  CAIRO 


THE  SPHYNX. 


N 


93 


cuitous,  on  account  of  the  rising  inundation,  which  had  not  yet, 
however,  entirely  cutoff  the  usual  communication.  We  reached 
the  edge  of  the  cultivated  land  as  the  sun  was  setting  behind  the 
pyramids  in  a flush  of  glory,  shooting  beams  of  intensely  red  light 
across  the  irregular  sands.  Our  approach  was  not  unperceived, 
and  a whole  posse  of  Arabs  soon  rushed  forward,  not  to  offer,  but 
to  force  upon  us  their  importunate,  annoying  services.  It  was 
useless  to  drive  them  away ; they  returned  like  flies  to  the  attack  ; 
fortunately,  we  had  brought  with  us  a well-armed  janissary, 
who  knew  how  to  deal  with  them,  and  whose  baton  was  pretty 
freely  used  upon  their  heads  and  shoulders.  When  we  reached 
our  dormitory  among  the  tombs,  the  Sheik  of  the  village  came 
forward,  and  we  agreed  with  him  for  the  services  of  two  Arabs 
to  accompany  us  about  the  neighborhood,  and  help  us  on  the 
following  morning  to  ascend  the  great  pyramid.  This  done,  we 
sallied  forth  by  the  light  of  the  rising  moon,  which  touched  the 
tops  of  the  billowy  waves  of  sand,  while  their  hollows  were  in 
deep  shadow.  A majestic  apparition  suddenly  burst  upon  us — 
an  enormous  head  and  shoulders,  whitened  by  the  moonlight, 
towered  above  the  extremity  of  one  of  the  sand  ravines  which 
lay  in  obscurity  below,  through  which,  far  beneath  the  chest 
of  the  statue,  dimly  peeped  out  the  traces  of  the  winged  globe 
upon  the  tablet  formerly  buried  beneath  its  paws.  The 
features  were  much  mutilated,  yet  an  expression  faintly  beam- 
ed through  them  of  bland  repose  and  immutable  serenitv. 
The  pyramids  in  all  their  vastness  arose  behind.  No  assem- 
blage of  objects  could  be  more  awful  or  imposing.  The 
heaving  sands  which  surge  up  and  down,  like  the  petrified 
waves  of  a sea,  by  concealing  the  base  of  the  Sphynx, 
and  burying  the  temple  and  avenue  of  approach  which  for- 
merly led  up,  cause  it  to  resemble  some  mysterious  pre- 
adamite  monarch,  or  one  of  those  gigantic  genii  of  Arabian 
fiction,  which  make  their  abode  in  the  desolate  places  of  the 
earth.  It  is  not  surprising,  therefore,  that  it  should,  as 
Wilkinson  informs  us,  be  known  to  the  superstitious  Arabs  of 


94  THE  SPHYNX. 

the  present  day  by  the  name  of  Aboolhol,  or  “ the  father  of 
terror”  or  immensity. 

In  its  state  of  pristine  perfection,  no  single  statue  in  Egypt 
could  have  vied  with  it.  When  by  the  labors  of  M.  Caviglia, 
the  lower  part  of  the  figure,  which  had  been  covered  up  by  the 
sand,  was  at  length  uncovered  for  a while  by  laborious  and 
Sisyphus-like  toil,  (the  sand  slipping  down  almost  as  fast  as  it 
could  be  removed,)  it  presented  the  appearance  of  an  enorm- 
ous couchant  Sphynx,  with  gigantic  paws,  between  which 
crouched,  as  if  for  protection,  a miniature  temple  with  a plat- 
form, and  flights  of  steps  for  approaching  it,  with  others  lead- 
ing down  from  the  plain  above.  A crude  brick  wall  protected 
it  from  the  sand.  It  is  hardly  possible  to  conceive  a more 
strange  or  imposing  spectacle  than  it  must  have  formerly  pre- 
sented to  the  worshiper,  advancing  as  he  did  along  this  avenue 
of  approach,  confined  between  the  sand-walls  of  the  ravine, 
and  looking  up  over  the  temple  to  the  colossal  head  of  the 
tutelary  deity,  which  beamed  down  upon  him  from  an  altitude 
of  sixty  feet,  with  an  aspect  of  godlike  benignity.  On  un- 
covering the  paws,  accordingly,  many  inscriptions  were  found, 
records  of  the  admiration  of  Grecian  travelers,  and  of  careful 
restorations  by  the  Roman  emperors.  One  of  the  former,  as 
translated  by  Dr.  Young  and  quoted  by  Wilkinson,  is  as 
follows : 

“ Thy  form  stupendous  here  the  gods  have  placed, 

Sparing  each  spot  of  harvest-bearing  land, 

And  with  this  mighty  work  of  art  have  graced 
A rocky  isle,  encumbered  once  with  sand, 

And  near  the  pyramids  have  bid  thee  stand : 

Not  that  fierce  Sphynx  that  Thebes  erewhile  laid  waste, 

But  great  Latona’s  servant  mild  and  bland  ; 

Watching  that  prince  beloved  who  fills  the  throne 
Of  Egypt’s  plains,  and  calls  the  Nile  his  own. 

That  heavenly  monarch,  (who  his  foe  defies,) 

Like  Vulcan  powerful,  (and  like  Pallas  wise).” 

Arrian. 

The  whole  figure  is  cut  out  of  the  rock,  excepting  the  fore 


THE  SPHYNX. 


I 


ASCENT  OF  THE  GREAT  PYRAMID. 


95 


legs.  The  head  formerly  was  adorned  with  a cap,  which  has 
been  removed,  but  portions  of  the  drapery  at  the  side  of  the 
face  remain.  Should  any  one  imagine  that  the  annexed  rep- 
resentation exaggerates  the  size,  it  may  be  stated  that  the 
circumference  of  the  head  around  the  forehead  is  given  by 
Pliny  as  one  hundred  and  two  feet.  It  is  supposed  to  have 
been  originated  by  Thotmes  III.,  and  the  names  of  his  son  and 
of  later  monarchs  are  inscribed  upon  it,  and  they  are  repre- 
sented as  offering  sacrifice  to  a smaller  representation  of  it. 

From  contemplating  this  marvel  of  the  ancient  world,  we 
repaired  to  our  nocturnal  abode  in  a tomb  scooped  out  of  a 
ledge  of  the  rock  on  which  the  great  pyramid  is  reared.  Hav- 
ing arranged  with  certain  Arabs  to  wake  us  up  in  order  to 
ascend  it  before  sunrise,  we  lay  down,  supped,  and  slept 
soundly  on  our  carpets. 

Beautiful  is  the  dawn  in  every  land ; but  in  Egypt 
peculiarly  grateful,  from  its  refreshing  coolness  and  shadow, 
too  soon  exchanged  for  the  glare  and  heat  of  the  long 
summer’s  day.  The  Arabs  awoke  us  from  our  slumbers  in 
the  tomb,  and  in  a few  moments  we  were  at  the  base  of  the 
great  pyramid. 

As  in  the  case  of  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  so  it  is  with  these 
marvels  of  human  creation — it  is  not  until  you  stand  close  be- 
neath them  that  you  realize  their  stupendous  magnitude  and 
almost  overwhelming  grandeur.  In  looking  up  at  these  count- 
less layers  of  masonry,  each  of  them  more  than  breast  high, 
which  tower  upward  to  the  dizzy  apex,  imagination  readily 
exaggerates  the  difficulty  of  their  ascent ; but  to  the  Arabs  the 
feat  is  as  familiar  as  going  up-stairs,  and  their  fearlessness  and 
dexterity  are  sufficient  to  assure  the  most  timorous.  It  is  at  the 
north-east  corner  that  we  began  the  ascent*  where  time  and 
accident  have  somewhat  wrought  the  massive  stonework  into 
cracks  and  fissures;  of  these  the  Fellahs  know  every  one,  and 
seizing  our  hands,  they  rapidly  hauled  us  upward,  instructing 
us  in  every  foot-hole ; and  shouting,  laughing,  one  pulling  us 


96 


VIEW  FROM  THE  GREAT  PYRAMID. 


from  above,  another  unceremoniously  propelling  us  in  the  rear, 
in  a very  short  time  we  stood  midway  up  the  giant  sides  of  the 
monument,  where  we  paused  a moment,  and  pressing  our  backs 
against  the  stonework,  glanced,  half  fearfully,  down  the  steep 
descent  of  steps  upon  the  ocean  of  sand  at  their  base,  and 
the  boundless  horizon  expanding  in  front,  at  the  same  time 
peeping  upward  to  the  sky-piercing  summit.  Averting  our 
eyes  from  the  dizzy  prospect,  we  then  turned  round,  and  more 
and  more  excited  as  we  continued  the  clamber,  after  a short  and 
desperate  scramble,  arrived  panting  and  palpitating  at  the  top. 
Here  the  fall  of  a few  layers  has  left  a small  platform  of  level 
stonework,  cracked,  weather-beaten,  and  corroded  by  some 
thousand  years  of  time  and  tempests,  and  inscribed  with  the 
names  of  travelers  from  every  land. 

The  view  from  the  great  pyramid  is  wonderful  as  the  struc- 
ture itself.  From  its  skyey  crest  we  look  down  upon  two  re- 
gions different  as  life  from  death.  Far  as  the  eye  could  see 
stretched  away  the  glorious  valley,  the  eternal  fertility  of  which 
has  outlived  the  empires  founded  on,  and  nourished  by,  its  pro- 
lific soil.  The  same  phenomenon  to  which  that  fertility  was 
owing  was  visibly  renewed  before  my  eyes ; wide  portions  of 
the  valley  were  already  becoming  so  many  lagoons  ; the  villages 
and  palm  groves  were  isolated ; the  life-giving  waters  poured 
from  the  brimming  river  were  making  their  way  through  various 
channels,  to  saturate  and  enrich  the  plain.  And  everywhere 
coming  up  to  its  green  edge,  and  hemming  it  in  with  an  im- 
passable barrier,  are  the  yellow  sands  of  that  boundless  Libyan 
desert,  stretching  away  to  the  westward,  on  the  elevated  edge 
of  which  the  pyramids  are  placed.  From  the  summit  of  the 
first  of  these  the  second  appears  in  all  its  grandeur ; the  tem- 
pest has  lashed  up  the  sand  in  great  masses  against  its  giant 
sides;  at  its  foot  is  a region  of  the  most  ancient  tombs  and  pits 
in  the  world,  the  resting-places  of  priests  and  nobles  clustered 
round  their  monarch ; their  yawning  orifices,  like  the  dens  of 
wild  animals,  honeycomb  the  broken  sand.  The  Sphynx  from 


SUNRISE  FROM  THE  PYRAMID. 


97 


hence  appears  insignificant ; the  neighboring  group  of  palm- 
trees  dwindles  to  a tiny  speck. 

It  was  a luxury  to  look  up  into  the  immense  arch  of  the  sky, 
to  which  we  seemed  nearer  than  to  the  earth,  and  here  of  such 
pure,  unclouded  transparency — we  might  penetrate  into  the 
depths  of  azure  space.  Over  the  eastward  mountains,  on  the 
other  side  the  Nile,  the  dawn  was  shooting  upward  its  glorious 
radiance  through  the  vast  concave,  a few  thin  bars  of  lustrous 
crimson  of  almost  unsufferable  brilliancy  appeared,  and  the  sun 
rose  like  a ball  of  intense  fire.  As  it  clonib  the  sky  the  land- 
scape kindled  into  life ; the  distant  Nile,  and  the  waters  of  the 
inundation,  flushed  with  the  growing  splendor.  The  smoke 
curled  up  from  the  Arab  villages,  awaking  with  all  their 
noises ; the  barking  of  dogs,  the  shrill  babble  of  Fellahs,  and 
the  lowing  of  cattle,  faintly  ascended  to  our  aery  post.  But 
the  only  sound  that  arose  from  the  immense  expanse  of  the 
Libyan  desert,  was  the  wailing  of  the  winds,  as  they  contend 
over  its  dead  surface,  and  pile  it  up  into  shapeless  swells  and 
ridges,  wakening  a wild  and  mournful  music.  From  the  second 
pyramid  and  that  of  Mycerinus  were  cast,  by  the  rising  sun, 
majestic  shadows  which  seemed  to  stretch  half  across  the 
blanched  and  desolate  expanse,  a sublime  effect  which  can  be 
but  faintly  imagined  by  those  who  have  not  witnessed  it. 

There  is  an  immensity  in  all  the  elements  of  this  scene,  and 
in  the  ideas  they  excite  in  the  mind.  The  works  of  man  seem 
in  their  magnitude  and  eternal  durability  to  contend,  as  it  were, 
with  those  of  nature.  Every  thing  is  so  strange,  so  vast, 
so  suggestive  of  a host  of  wonderful  associations,  that  there 
is,  perhaps,  no  other  spot  on  earth  where  the  mind  is  more 
exalted  and  awed.  More  fortunate  than  many  others,  owing 
to  our  arrangements,  we  were  quite  undisturbed  in  this  con- 
templation. Our  two  Fellahs  crouched  down  half  asleep  on 
the  layers  of  stone  below  us ; and  a young  Arab  girl,  who 
had  climbed  after  us  with  a porous  water-bottle  in  the  hope 
of  gleaning  a few  paras,  sat  immovable  as  a stone  upon  the  top- 


98 


SPECULATIONS  ON  THEIR  ORIGIN. 


most  ledge,  cutting  the  desert  horizon  with  her  lithe  and  grace- 
ful form. 

How  many  illustrious  travelers  in  all  ages  have  sat  and 
gazed  upon  the  scene  around ! and  how  endless  are  the  specula- 
tions in  which  they  have  indulged ! “ The  epochs,  the  build- 

ers, and  the  objects  of  the  pyramids,”  says  Gliddon,  “ had,  for 
two  thousand  years,  been  dreams,  fallacies,  or  mysteries.”  To 
begin  at  the  beginning,  some  have  supposed  them  to  be  ante- 
diluvian ; others,  that  they  were  built  by  the  children  of  Noah 
to  escape  from  a second  flood, — by  Nimrod,  by  the  Pali  of  Hin- 
dostan,  and  even  the  ancient  Irish.  It  was  a favorite  theory 
until  very  lately,  that  they  were  the  work  of  the  captive  Israel- 
ites. The  Arabians  attributed  them  to  the  Jins  or  Genii; 
others,  to  a race  of  Titans.  Some  have  supposed  them  to  have 
been  the  granaries  built  by  Joseph ; others,  intended  for  his 
tomb,  or  those  of  the  Pharaoh  drowned  in  the  Red  Sea,  or  of 
the  bull  Apis.  Yeates  thinks  they  soon  followed  the  Tower  of 
Babel,  and  both  had  the  same  common  design  ; while,  according 
to  others,  tljey  were  built  with  the  spoils  of  Solomon’s  temple 
and  the  riches  of  the  queen  of  Sheba.  They  have  been  regarded 
as  temples  of  Venus,  as  reservoirs  for  purifying  the  waters  of 
the  Nile,  as  erected  for  astronomical  or  mathematical  purposes, 
or  intended  to  protect  the  valley  of  the  Nile  from  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  sands  of  the  desert  (this  notable  theory,  too,  is 
quite  recent) ; in  short,  for  evei’y  conceivable  and  inconceiv- 
able purpose  that  could  be  imagined  by  superstitious  awe,  by 
erudition  groping  without  data  in  the  dark,  or  reasoning  upon 
the  scanty  and  suspicious  evidence  of  Grecian  writers.  At 
length,  after  a silence  of  thousands  of  years,  the  discoveries  of 
Champollion  have  enabled  the  monuments  to  tell  their  own  tale  ; 
— their  mystery  has  been,  in  great  measure,  unraveled,  and  the 
names  of  their  founders  ascertained.  The  explorations  of  Col. 
Vyse,  Perring,  and  recently  of  Lepsius,  have  brought  to  light  the 
remains  of  no  less  than  sixty-nine  pyramids,  extending  in  a line 
from  Abouroash  to  Dashoor.  These,  by  the  discovery  of  the 


THEORY  OF  DR.  LEPSIUS. 


99 


names  of  their  founders,  are  proved  to  have  been  a succession 
of  royal  mausolea, — forming  the  most  sublime  Necropolis  in  the 
world.  The  size  of  each  different  pyramid  is  supposed  to  bear 
relation  to  the  length  of  the  reign  of  its  builder,  being  com- 
menced with  the  delving  of  a tomb  in  the  rock  for  him  at  his 
accession,  over  which  a fresh  layer  of  stones  was  added  every  year 
until  his  decease,  when  the  monument  was  finished  and  closed 
up.  Taking  the  number  of  these  Memphite  sovereigns  and  the 
average  length  of  their  reigns,  the  gradual  construction  of  the 
pyramids  would  therefore,  it  is  presumed,  extend  over  a period, 
in  round  numbers,  of  some  sixteen  hundred  years  ! Imagi- 
nation is  left  to  conceive  the  antecedent  period  required  for 
the  slow  formation  of  the  alluvial  valley  of  the  Nile  until 
it  became  fit  for  human  habitation,  whether  it  was  first  peo- 
pled by  an  indigenous  race,  or  by  an  Asiatic  imagination, 
already  bringing  with  them  from  their  Asiatic  birth-place  the 
elements  of  civilization,  or  whether  they  grew  up  on  the  spot, 
and  the  long,  long  ages  that  might  have  elapsed,  and  the  pro- 
gress that  must  have  been  made,  before  monuments  so  wonder- 
ful could  have  been  erected. 

Such  is  the  latest  theory,  we  believe,  of  the  construction  and 
import  of  the  pyramids.  At  the  risk,  however,  of  irreverence 
toward  the  learned  authorities  by  whom  it  is  propounded,  we 
would  remark,  that  it  appears  inconsistent  with  the  construc- 
tion of  the  great  pyramid  of  Cheops,  since  the  existence  of  a 
series  of  interior  passages  and  chambers,  and  even  of  air 
passages  communicating  with  the  exterior,  seems  to  argue  a 
regular  design  for  the  construction  of  the  entire  monument. 
We  are  utterly  at  a loss  to  conceive  how  their  interior  passages 
and  chambers  could  have  been  formed  gradually,  as  upon 
this  theory  they  must  have  been,  during  the  accumulation  of  a 
mass  of  masonry,  the  ultimate  extent  of  which  depended  on  the 
contingency  of  the  monarch’s  life.  And  if  this  objection  be 
fatal  to  the  theory,  what  becomes  of  the  very  pretty  system  of 
chronology  erected  upon  it  ? To  be  sure,  the  mere  existence  of 


100 


MEMPHIS  AND  ITS  HISTORY. 


such  a number  of  these  monuments,  most  probably  erected  suc- 
cessively on  a given  spot,  seems  of  itself  to  argue  an  immense 
antiquity  ; but,  as  Mr.  Gliddon  well  remarks,  “ the  gross  amount 
of  cartouches  (or  names  of  sovereigns)  must  be  known  before 
valid  opinions  can  be  expressed  as  to  the  era  of  Menes,” — 
still  oscillating  between  the  86th  and  58th  century,  b.  c. — if 
Menes  indeed  can  be  proved  ever  to  have  had  any  real  ex- 
istence. >• 

As  we  stand  upon  this  hoary  summit,  we  seem  to  look  back 
on  one  hand  into  the  night  of  immeasurable  antiquity,  and  on 
the  other  forward  into  the  written  history  of  the  world.  On  the 
alluvium  below  was  slowly  developed  that  civilization,  that 
“ wisdom  of  the  Egyptians,”  which  descended  as  a heritage  to 
other  nations,  and  which  has  influenced  our  own  times.  There 
is  no  spot  on  earth  so  venerable  as  the  plain  of  Memphis,  as 
there  are  no  monuments  like  the  pyramids.  Could  we  have 
stood  on  the  same  spot  three  or  four  thousand  years  ago,  what  a 
scene  would  have  spread  out  before  us ! Stretching  for  miles 
and  miles  along  the  raised  edge  of  the  desert,  we  should  have 
beheld  these  sixty  mausolea  of  the  Memphite  sovereigns  over- 
looking their  magnificent  capital  with  its  gorgeous  temples  and 
palaces  extending  to  the  Nile  ; its  crowded  suburbs,  the  ferry 
at  Rhoda,  distant  Heliopolis  with  its  obelisk,  glittering  in  the 
sun,  and  in  the  distance  the  verdant  land  of  Goshen,  extending 
to  the  outskirts  of  the  boundless  desert  of  the  Exodus. 

Over  what  a large  portion  of  the  world’s  history  extend  the 
annals  of  Memphis  ! On  its  pyramids,  then  fresh  in  all  their 
original  perfection,  Abraham  may  have  gazed  with  wonder 
upon  his  migration  from  the  wild  pasturages  of  Canaan.  Hither 
probably  was  Joseph  brought  as  a slave,  and  rose  to  be  the 
minister  of  Pharaoh ; and  here  may  have  taken  place  the  scene 
of  his  making  himself  known  to  his  brethren.  Here  Moses  may 
have  been  consigned  to  the  Nile  in  his  ark  of  bulrushes,  and 
hence  he  may  have  led  the  Israelites  into  the  wilderness.  Mem- 
phis was  long  the  capital  of  Lower  Egypt,  till,  as  Thebes  arose  to 


MEMPHIS  AND  ITS  HISTORY. 


101 


its  utmost  height  of  grandeur  under  the  Ramessean  princes,  it 
became  secondary  to  that  city.  It  was  taken  by  the  Persian  king 
Cambyses,  on  his  invasion  of  Egypt.  After  his  return  from 
Thebes,  dispirited  at  the  loss  of  a large  portion  of  his  army,  he 
found  the  people  rejoicing  at  the  discovery  of  a suitable  suc- 
cessor to  the  bull  Apis,  w’ho  had  died.  He  regarded  the 
festival  as  an  insult,  and  commanding  the  sacred  bull  to  be 
brought  into  his  presence,  stabbed  it  with  his  dagger,  and 
laughingly  told  the  priest  that  it  was  made  of  flesh  and  blood, 
and  no  god.  Here  he  received  numerous  embassies  and  mag- 
nificent presents  from  the  conquered  nations  of  Asia.  Hero- 
dotus visited  Egypt  soon  after  the  overthrow  of  the  Persian 
dynasty,  and  at  Memphis  he  made  his  longest  stay.  He  found 
the  city  then  at  its  greatest  size,  while  Thebes  again  was 
gradually  declining ; with  its  citadel  and  suburbs  it  had  then 
a circuit  of  sixteen  miles.  It  was  still  a splendid  city  when 
Alexander  the  Great,  after  his  victories  over  the  Persians, 
advanced  to  the  conquest  of  Egypt.  The  Macedonian  army 
crossed  the  Nile  at  Heliopolis,  and,  without  opposition,  en- 
tered Memphis.  This  wise  policy  of  Alexander  was  widely 
different  from  the  insensate  fury  of  Cambyses  ; he  assured  the 
Egyptians  that  he  came  to  re-establish  their  ancient  monarchy, 
went  in  state  to  the  temple,  and  sacrificed  to  the  sacred  bull. 
From  Memphis  he  floated  down  the  Nile  to  the  Canopic  mouth, 
sailed  round  the  lake  Mareotis,  and  landing  at  Racotis,  laid 
the  foundation  of  Alexandria.  Under  the  Ptolemies,  various 
Greek  and  Roman  travelers  describe  Memphis  still  as  being 
great  and  flourishing,  when  Thebes  was  reduced  to  ruin  in 
consequence  of  rebellion  against  Ptelomy  Lathyrus.  Under 
the  Romans  and  the  Byzantine  emperors,  it  was  still,  after 
Alexandria,  the  chief  city  of  Egypt ; nor  did  it  finally  sink, 
until  the  invasion  of  the  Arabs  under  Amrou,  who  laid 
siege  to  its  defensive  fortress  of  Babylon  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Nile,  already  described,  and,  assisted  by  treachery,  made  him- 
self master  of  it.  He  next  marched  to  the  reduction  of  Alex- 


102 


DESCENT  FROM  THE  SUMMIT. 


andria.  An  Arab  city  was  built  at  Fostat  or  Old  Cairo;  others 
arose  in  the  course  of  centuries,  the  materials  of  Memphis 
were  taken  to  erect  them : and  thus,  although  it  subsisted  a 
great  and  flourishing  city  long  after  Thebes  had  sunk  to  a 
cluster  of  villages,  the  temples  of  the  latter  city  still  stand  to 
attract  the  admiration  of  the  world,  while  of  Memphis  itself 
remain  but  a few  insignificant  fragments,  and  the  catacombs  and 
pits  which  contain  the  mummies  of  the  sacred  animals  and  their 
worshipers.  The  alluvial  slime  of  the  Nile,  to  which  it  owed 
its  origin,  has  covered  it  with  a beautiful  pall  of  golden 
harvests  and  waving  palm-groves.  Well  indeed  might  Na- 
poleon exclaim,  when,  upon  the  plain  below,  over  which 
Rameses,  and  Cambyses,  and  Alexander  had  once  marched,  he 
prepared  to  give  battle  to  the  Memlook  cavalry — “ Soldiers ! 
from  the  summit  of  those  monuments  forty  centuries  look  down 
upon  you.’ 

As  the  sun  rose  higher,  at  length  it  became  necessary  to 
descend.  This,  to  nervous  persons,  might  seem  to  be  worse 
than  to  get  up,  as  they  have  ever  the  tremendous  perspective 
of  the  steps  before  their  eyes  ; yet  there  is  something 
so  inspiring  in  the  whole  affair,  that  their  apprehensions  are 
generally  forgotten.  We  began  to  leap  down  from  step  to  step, 
our  Arabs  preceding  us ; but  we  despised  their  proffered  aid, 
and  hurrying  down  with  almost  dangerous  rapidity,  in  a lew 
minutes  were  comfortably  extended  in  a cool  niche  among 
the  billowy  sands  at  the  base  of  the  pyramid,  where  we  re- 
cruited our  fatigues  with  a repast  than  which  none  could  ever 
have  been  better  relished,  and  indulged  in  a little  repose  before 
penetrating  into  the  interior  of  the  monument. 

The  entrance  to  the  great  pyramid  is  about  forty  feet  from 
the  ground.  Here  one  is  sure  to  be  worried  by  the  persevering 
annoyance  of  the  Arabs,  whose  petty,  but  insatiable  demands 
for  beckshish,  which  leads  them  to  dog  your  every  footstep  for 
a chance  of  employment  on  which  to  found  some  claim,  griev- 
ously disturbs  you  on  an  occasion  when  silence  no  less  than 


INTERIOR  OF  THE  GREAT  PYRAMID. 


103 


solitude  are  so  desirable.  Could  we  get  rid  of  these  provoking 
trivialities,  in  standing  before  the  small  dark  entry  to  the 
hidden  chambers  of  this  mysterious  monument,  the  vastness 
of  the  pile,  the  enormous  massiveness  of  the  layers  of  stone, 
and  the  two  huge  blocks  forming  an  arch  over  the  passage,  the 
wild  heaps  of  sand  driven  up  by  the  tempests  from  the  lonely 
desert  around,  could  rarely  fail  to  produce,  hackneyed  as  is  the 
feat  of  exploring  the  pyramids,  a sense  approaching  to  awe. 
At  the  entrance,  the  stones  follow  the  inclination  of  the 
passage ; there  are  a few  foot-holes  to  aid  you  in  descending 
the  slippery  blocks.  Stooping  d'own  at  the  entrance  of  the  low 
passage,  four  feet  high,  we  began  the  sloping  descent  into  the 
interior.  This  first  passage  continues  on  a slope,  down  to  a 


subterranean  room;  but  at  the  distance  of  106  feet,  a block  of 
granite  closes  it ; and  an  upper  passage  ascends  from  this  point 
at  an  angle  of  27°.  Climbing  by  a few  steps  into  the  second 
passage,  you  ascend  to  the  entrance  of  the  great  gallery.  From 
this  point  a horizontal  passage  leads  into  what  is  called  the 
Queen’s  Chamber,  which  is  small  and  roofed  by  long  blocks, 
resting  against  each  other  and  forming  an  angle  : its  height  to 
this  point  is  about  twenty  feet.  There  is  a niche  in  the  east 
end,  where  the  Arabs  have  broken  the  stones  in  search  for 
treasure  ; and  Sir  G.  Wilkinson  thinks,  that  “ if  the  pit  where 


104 


PASSAGES  TO  KING'S  CHAMBER 


the  king’s  body  was  deposited  does  exist  in  any  of  these  rooms, 
it  should  be  looked  for  beneath  this  niche.”  He  remarks, 
besides,  that  this  chamber  stands  under  the  apex  of  the  pyra- 
mid. At  the  base  of  the  great  gallery,  to  which  we  now  return, 
is  the  mouth  of  what  is  called  the  well,  a narrow  funnel-shaped 
passage,  leading  down  to  the  chamber  at  the  base  of  the  edi- 
fice, hollowed  in  the  rock,  and  if  the  theory  of  Dr.  Lepsius  is 
correct,  originally  containing  the  body  of  the  founder.  The 
long  ascending  slope  of  the  great  gallery,  six  feet  wide,  is 
formed  by  successive  courses  of  masonry  overlaying  each  other, 
and  thus  narrowing  the  passage  toward  the  top. 

Advancing  158  feet  up  this  impressive  avenue,  we  come  to  a 
horizontal  passage,  where  four  granite  portcullises,  descending 
through  grooves,  once  opposed  additional  obstacles  to  the  rash 
curiosity  or  avarice  which  might  tempt  any  to  invade  the 
eternal  silence  of  the  sepulchral  chamber,  which  they  besides 
concealed  ; but  the  cunning  of  the  spoiler  has  been  there  of  old, 
the  device  was  vain,  and  you  are  now  enabled  to  enter  this,  the 
principal  apartment  in  the  pyramid,  and  called  the  King’s 
Chamber,  entirely  constructed  of  red  granite,  as  is  also  the 
sarcophagus,  the  lid  and  contents  of  which  had  been  removed. 
This  is  entirely  plain,  and  without  hieroglyphics, — the  more 
singular,  as  it  seems  to  be  ascertained  that  they  were  then  in 
use.  The  sarcophagus  rests  upon  an  enormous  granite  block, 
which  may,  as  suggested  by  Mrs.  Poole,  in  her  minute  account 
of  the  interior,  have  been  placed  to  mark  the  entrance  to  a 
deep  vault  or  pit  beneath.  There  are  some  small  holes  in  the 
walls  of  the  chamber,  the  purpose  of  which  was  for  ventilation, 
as  at  length  discovered  by  Colonel  Howard  Yyse. 

Above  the  King’s  Chamber,  and  only  to  be  reached  by  a 
narrow  passage,  ascending  at  the  south-east  corner  of  the  great 
gallery,  having  notches  in  which  pieces  of  wood  were  formerly 
inserted,  and  from  the  top  of  that,  along  another  passage,  is  the 
small  chamber  discovered  by  Mr.  Davison ; its  height  is  only 
three  feet  six  inches ; above  it  are  four  other  similar  niches, 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  PYRAMIDS. 


105 


discovered  by  Colonel  Howard  Yyse,  the  topmost  of  which  is 
angular.  Wilkinson  supposes  that  the  sole  purpose  of 
these  chambers  is  to  relieve  the  pressure  on  the  King’s 
Chamber,  and  here  was  discovered  the  cartouche, 
containing  the  name  of  the  founder,  Suphis,  identical 
with  that  found  upon  the  tablets  in  Wady  Maghara  in 
the  desert  of  Mount  Sinai. 

The  second  pyramid,  generally  attributed,  though  without 
hieroglyphical  confirmation,  to  Cephrenes,  is  more  ancient  and 
ruder  in  its  masonry  than  that  of  Cheops.  Standing  on  higher 
ground,  it  has  from  some  points  an  appearance  of  greater  height 
than  that  of  the  great  pyramid,  and  its  dimensions  are  hardly 
less  stupendous.  It  is  distinguished  by  having  a portion  of  the 
smooth  casing  yet  remaining,  with  which  all  the  pyramids  were 
once  covered,  and  it  is  a great  feat  to  climb  up  this  dangerous 
slippery  surface  to  the  summit.  Yet  there  are  plenty  of  Arabs 
who  for  a trifling  beckshish  will  dash  “ down  Cheops  and  up 
Cephrenes”  with  incredible  celerity.  Its  interior  arrangements 
differ  from  those  of  the  great  pyramid,  in  that  in  accordance 
with  Lepsius’s  theory,  the  sarcophagus  of  the  builder  is  sunk  in 
the  floor,  and  not  placed  in  the  center  of  the  edifice.  The  glory 
of  re-opening  this  pyramid  is  due  to  the  enterprising  Belzoni. 

The  third  pyramid  is  of  much  smaller  dimensions  than  the 
two  others,  but  beautifully  constructed.  It  was  the  work,  as  is 
proved  by  the  discovery  of  his  name,  of  Mycerinus  or  Men- 
cheres,  whose  wooden  coffin  in  the  British  Museum,  very 
simple  and  unornamented,  as  well  as  the  desiccated  body  sup- 
posed to  be  that  of  the  monarch  himself,  has  probably  attracted 
the  notice  of  our  readers.  This  pyramid  is  double,  i.  e.  cased 
over  with  a distinct  covering.  Besides  these  principal  ones, 
there  are  still  standing  other  and  smaller  pyramids,  more  or  less 
entire,  grouped  about  these  larger  ones,  and  forming  a portion 
of  this  stupendous  Necropolis  of  Memphis. 

At  what  period  these  sepulchral  monuments  were  first 
violated  is  uncertain.  Some  are  inclined  to  attribute  their 

14 


106 


TOMBS  AROUND  THE  PYRAMIDS. 


original  desecration  to  the  Hykshos,  or  Shepherd  Kings,  and 
that,  owing  to  this  circumstance,  the  Egyptian  monarchs 
afterward  preferred  to  hide  their  sepulchres  in  the  solitary 
recesses  of  the  Theban  hills,  though  they  could  hardly  have 
hoped  to  escape  the  penetrating  scrutiny  of  a rapacious  con- 
queror. Be  this  as  it  may,  it  is  evident  from  the  inscription 
of  their  names  found  on  the  pyramids,  that  the  Arabian  caliphs 
opened  the  whole  of  them  in  the  vain  quest  of  treasure,  as 
Wilkinson  supposes,  in  820,  a.  d.  They  were  then  found  to 
have  been  previously  rifled,  and  singularly  enough,  to  have 
been  closed  up  again  with  the  greatest  care. 

That  a people  who  could  erect  such  monuments  as  the 
pyramids  must  have  arrived  at  a high  degree  of  civilization  and 
refinement,  is  a natural  inference,  and  one  fully  corroborated 
by  the  remarkable  discoveries  among  the  numerous  surround- 
ing tombs.  Wilkinson  had  already  found  representations  of 
“ the  trades,  boats,  repasts,  dancing,  agricultural  and  farming 
processes,  as  in  the  tombs  of  later  date,  at  Thebes  and  else- 
where, and  with  enumerations  in  decimals  of  the  wealth  of  the 
owner  of  the  tomb,  which,  like  that  of  Abraham,  consisted 
principally  in  flocks  and  herds.  He  remarks,  that  a picture  of 
a butcher  sharpening  his  red  knife  on  a blue  rod,  seems  to  prove 
the  use  of  steel.  Copper,  we  know  from  the  monumental 
tablets  at  those  places,  was  brought  by  the  kings  of  this  dynasty 
from  the  neighboring  peninsula  of  Sinai,  where  their  names 
are  engraved  upon  the  rocks.  The  researches  of  Dr.  Lepsius 
have  resulted  in  a vast  accession  of  facts,  which  he  is  now 
engaged  in  classifying,  and  the  results  of  which,  as  regards 
both  the  chronology  and  other  matters,  are  of  immense  interest 
and  value.  These  mysterious  pyramids,  which  have  excited  the 
conjectures  and  baffled  the  scrutiny  of  ages, — even  the  empty 
tombs  that  were  abandoned  to  the  bats  and  jackals, — seem  now, 
by  the  Prometheus  wand  of  hieroglyphical  discovery,  to  reveal  a 
world  of  curious  information  as  to  minutest  details  of  a civiliza- 
tion existing  some  four  thousand  years  ago. 


OBJECT  OF  THE  PYRAMIDS. 


107 


The  erection  of  the  pyramids  has  been  generally  attributed 
to  the  arbitrary  tyranny  of  the  dynasty,  as  some  have  thought, 
of  foreign  origin,  who  then  ruled  over  Egypt.  Herodotus 
tells  us  that  Cheops  was  detested  by  the  Egyptians,  whose 
temples  he  had  closed,  and  that  he  employed  them  forcibly  in 
the  exhausting  labor  of  building  the  great  pyramid.  Great 
doubts  seem  to  rest  over  this  and  other  statements  of  the 
partially  informed  Greek  historian,  and  it  has  latterly  been 
maintained  that  these  stupendous  monuments  were,  on  the  con- 
trary, erected  by  gradual  and  easy  degrees,  by  paid  labor,  and 
at  government  expense;  serving,  in  fact,  the  most  useful  and 
beneficent  design  of  giving  employment  to  the  poorer  classes 
of  a vast  agricultural  population,  confined  by  natuz’e  on  a mere 
strip  of  alluvial  soil,  when  thrown  idle  three  months  in  the 
year  by  the  inundation  of  the  Nile.* 

It  is  confessedly,  however,  hardly  the  moment  to  enlarge 
upon  the  subject  of  the  pyramids,  when  so  much  light  is  about 
to  be  thrown  upon  it  by  the  publication  of  Dr.  Lepsius’s  re- 
searches. We  have  confined  ourselves,  therefore,  to  a descrip- 
tion of  the  more  prominent  and  obvious  points,  and  of  the 
general  results  of  modern  investigations.  We  shall  now  return 
to  Cairo,  and  prepare  for  a continuation  of  our  journey. 


* Gliddon. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


DEPARTURE  FOR  THEBES. — DANCING-GIRLS. — SLAVE-BOAT. — THE  RAMADAN. — 
DENDERAH. KENEH. 

The  winter  climate  of  Egypt  is  universally  declared  to  be 
delightful;  but  it  was  now  the  height  of  summer,  and  I was, 
day  and  night,  (to  borrow  Mrs.  Butler’s  phraseology,)  in  a state 
of  “ absolute  meltingness-away the  closeness  of  Cairo  was 
almost  insupportable ; yet  now,  or  never,  I was  compelled  to 
proceed  into  Upper  Egypt.  Every  one  said,  that  I should  find 
the  heat  worse  and  worse,  as  was  natural,  the  nearer  I advanced 
toward  the  tropic.  Happily,  this  proved  to  be  a mistake ; but, 
at  the  time,  it  seemed  a rash  enterprise.  However,  having  no 
alternative,  I hired  a servant,  and  with  him  went  down  to 
Boulak  on  different  occasions  to  look  for  a boat.  I found  much 
difficulty  in  suiting  myself ; most  were  too  large  and  too  ex- 
pensive for  a single  traveler ; in  fact,  the  price  of  every  thing 
in  Egypt  seems  to  have  greatly  risen  of  late  years,  the  wages 
of  servants  and  hire  of  boats  in  particular,  till  it  is  becoming  a 
serious  drawback  in  the  way  of  travelers  with  moderate  means  ; 
— a thing  much  to  be  regretted.  It  is  undoubtedly  a compensa- 
tion that  more  comfort  is  now  obtainable  than  formerly.  I found, 
at  length,  a boat  of  the  smaller  class,  newly  painted,  and  appa- 
rently quite  clean,  which  I hired  at  900  piastres  (£9)  per  month, 
inclusive  of  the  wages  of  the  Reis  and  six  boatmen  : such  pro- 
visions as  were  needful  were  then  laid  in,  a fresh  supply  of 
eggs,  bread,  meat,  and  vegetables  being  generally  obtainable  at 
the  villages.  In  order  to  have  a regular  supply  of  milk,  which 


OPHTHALMIA  AND  BUGS. 


109 


proved  a great  luxury,  we  had  a goat  on  board,  and  a filtering 
stone  for  the  water,  besides  “ goollehs,”  or  vases  of  porous  clay 
to  cool  the  water.  I shall  not  give  a list  of  the  various  ar- 
ticles we  took  with  us ; suffice  it  to  say,  that  they  were  pretty 
numerous,  as  they  must  be,  if  a reasonable  measure  of  comfort 
is  to  be  attained.  The  boat,  when  fitted  up,  was  quite  a snug 
little  ark,  a world  in  itself.  I went  on  board,  proud  of  my 
floating  home.  I was  monarch  of  all  I surveyed,  and  amused 
myself  with  arranging  every  thing  in  the  nicest  order ; and 
what  with  books,  pistols,  matting  carpets,  and  green  blinds,  it 
looked  so  pretty  and  so  cheerful,  and  when  I lay  down  on  my 
bed  in  the  cabin,  the  breezes  were  so  delightful  and  refreshing, 
that  I heartily  rejoiced  I was  out  of  the  stifling  heat  of  Cairo 
and  fairly  embarked  on  my  cruise. 

But,  alas  for  all  human  anticipations ! the  morning  opened 
most  inauspiciously ; the  boat  proves  to  be  full  of  bugs,  and  I 
passed  a restless,  a savage  night;  in  addition,  Salem  has  a 
violent  attack  of  ophthalmia,  and  has  been  rolling  about  the  deck 
in  agony ; fortunately,  we  had  with  us  sulphate  of  zinc  and 
copper,  and  after  obtaining  from  the  city  some  rose-water,  I 
mixed  them,  and  applied  as  per  prescription  in  Sir  G.  Wilkin- 
son’s Hand-book,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  Salem  rapidly 
improve.  The  extermination  of  the  bugs  was  matter  of  more 
difficulty;  the  scoundrel  of  a Reis  had  neglected  to  sink  the 
boat  as  he  had  promised,  and  from  every  chink  and  crevice  in 
the  old  planks  hundreds  came  forth,  scenting  the  blood  of  an 
Englishman ; books,  matting,  and  clothing  were  all  in  a swarm 
with  the  disgusting  vermin,  from  the  swollen  old  patriarch  to 
the  youngest  of  his  descendant  fry.  We  threw  the  mats  over- 
board to  begin  with,  removed  all  the  furniture,  and  by  dint  of 
sundry  pails  of  water,  furious  scrubbing,  ferreting  out  the  nests 
with  an  iron  pike,  stuffing  the  chinks  with  camphor,  and  then  sub- 
jecting every  separate  article  to  a rigid  investigation,  we  routed 
the  main  body  the  first  day,  and  by  a watchful  look-out  till  the 
second  evening,  and  cutting  off  stragglers,  had  fairly  gained  the 


j 


no 


NECESSITY  OF  THE  STICK. 


victory;  the  rest,  if  there  were  any,  retreating  forward  to  their 
fitting  quarters  near  the  person  of  the  Reis  and  his  men,  and 
coming  no  more  about  the  quarter-deck.  Salem  was  indig- 
nant at  the  Reis,  who  turned  out  a lazy,  dirty,  worthless  rascal, 
and  wanted  to  beat  him  ; but  this  discipline  of  the  stick,  though 
very  ancient,  highly  necessary,  and  perfectly  well  understood 
in  Egypt,  revolts  at  first  one’s  English  prejudices,  and  I for- 
bade him  to  resort  to  it.  He  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and 
assured  me,  that  as  I should  at  length  be  driven  to  it  in  spite 
of  myself,  it  was  better  to  begin  at  once  by  producing  a whole- 
some impression,  which  would  be  an  ultimate  saving  in  the 
amount  required,  declaring  that,  but  for  my  injunction,  he 
would  begin  by  breaking  the  Reis’s  head  at  once.  The  truth 
is,  that  the  bastinado  was  found  indispensable  by  the  ancient 
Egyptians,  and  that  it  was  administered  even  to  the  softer  sex, 
who  certainly  do  seem,  even  in  modern  Egypt,  to  require  some 
little  correction.  The  subjects  of  Rameses  the  Great  took  the 
stick  to  their  refractory  wives,  and  so  do  the  modern  Arabs. 
It  is  not  easy  to  eradicate  the  habits  of  ages,  and  it  is  a sad  fact 
that  nothing  can  be  done  without  it.  The  peasant  makes  it  a 
point  of  honor  not  to  pay  his  rent,  though  he  has  it  in  his 
pocket,  till  he  has  been  so  beaten  that  he  can  not  stand  upon 
his  legs.  I foolishly  demurred,  and  had  afterward  much  oc- 
casion to  regret  my  ill-timed  interference  with  established 
usage.  Reluctance  to  harsh  measures  passed  for  facility  and 
weakness.  I was  constantly  annoyed,  and  all  but  driven  to  that 
“ ultima  ratio”  with  an  Arab  boatman,  the  infliction  of  the 
bastinado  by  an  unfeeling  petty  governor.  Much  depends 
however  on  the  character  of  the  captain  ; mine,  to  my  sorrow, 
proving  a very  unfortunate  selection.  Very  amusing  are  the 
airs  and  graces  of  Salem — my  dragoman  and  factotum,  in  the 
exercise  of  his  little  brief  authority  over  the  Reis  and  sailors  ; 
and  truly,  for  my  own  sake,  I was  glad  to  lend  fuel  to  his  con- 
ceit, and  zeal  to  his  watchful  oversight. 

With  the  evening  breeze  the  sails  were  spread,  and  we  ran 


DEPARTURE  FROM  OLD  CAIRO. 


Ill 


rapidly,  to  the  sound  of  the  darrabuka,  along  the  narrow  chan- 
nel separating  the  island  of  Rhoda  from  Old  Cairo.  This 
suburban  scenery  of  the  Nile  is  very  charming.  The  light, 
gay  villas  and  latticed  harems  of  the  wealthy  Turks,  half 
buried  in  rustling  date-groves  and  gardens,  project  over  the 
river,  which  is  animated  by  the  constant  passage  of  boats  dart- 
ing about  with  their  great  white  sails,  like  birds,  under  the 
lively  evening  breeze  which  wafted  the  odors  from  the  ad- 
jacent gardens  across  the  stream.  It  is  a delightful  sensa- 
tion too,  when,  with  stores  laid  in  and  preliminary  troubles 
over,  one  first  sees  the  broad  latine  sails  of  the  bark  ex- 
panding to  the  steady  breeze  which  is  to  waft  it  among  the 
wonders  of  early  time,  the  temples  and  the  tombs  of  mighty 
Thebes. 

I shall  never  forget  the  moment  when  the  boat  shot  out  of 
the  narrow  channel  of  Rhoda,  and  issued  into  the  magnificent 
river,  rolling  in  its  full  breadth  between  groves  of  palm.  The 
sun  was  setting  red  upon  the  pyramids,  seen  afar  beyond  the 
level  green  valley,  and  burnishing  the  sands  of  the  Libyan 
desert;  the  wind  raised  vast  clouds  of  dust,  tinged  with  the 
ruddy  beams,  and  driving  across  toward  the  stream,  the  red- 
dening sails  caught  the  gust,  which  freshened  as  the  sun  set, 
and  as  we  dashed  rapidly  through  the  seething  waters,  Cairo 
and  its  minarets  on  the  eastern  banks,  the  mounds  of  Baby- 
lon and  the  crags  of  Mokattam  on  the  west,  the  long  suc- 
cession of  pyramids  seen  stretching  far  away  to  the  site  of 
ancient  Memphis,  all  mingled  into  ruddy  haze  and  twilight 
obscurity.  We  made  great  way,  but  missing  the  channel  we 
became  involved  among  a maze  of  sandy  islands,  and  I had  a 
rough  introduction  to  a common  incident  in  Nile  navigation. 
I had  hardly  lay  down  to  rest,  when  I was  thrown  off  my  bench 
upon  the  floor  by  a sudden  jerk ; — we  had  run  upon  a shoal : the 
boatmen,  stripping  off  their  scanty  attire,  leaped  into  the  water, 
shouting  and  singing  in  chorus,  and  speedily  engaged  in  get- 
ting off  the  vessel,  an  operation  which  consumed  some  time. 


112 


THE  DANCING-GIRLS. 


At  length  we  got  back  again  into  the  main  stream,  and  I suc- 
ceeded in  getting  a few  hours  of  quiet  sleep. 

The  next  day  we  were  becalmed,  and  the  men  were  com- 
pelled to  track.  As  we  passed  abreast  of  ancient  Memphis,  the 
pyramids  of  Sakhara  and  Dashoor,  and,  later  still,  the  False 
pyramid,  as  it  is  called,  successively  presented  themselves. 

About  noon  the  following  day,  we  saw  the  groves  and 
minarets  of  Beni-souef,  the  first  town  of  importance  on  the 
western  bank  of  the  Nile.  A few  articles  of  provision  were 
wanting,  and  the  boat  was  towed  on  to  the  usual  landing-place, 
while  I preferred  walking  along  the  shore.  1 found  it  so  ex- 
cessively hot  as  to  wish  myself  back  again,  and  was  about  to 
hail  the  vessel,  when  the  sound  of  music  caught  my  ears,  and  I 
perceived  an  assemblage  of  people  under  the  shade  of  a cluster 
• of  Sont  trees  near  the  river,  and  rising  now  and  then  over  their 
heads,  the  braceleted  arms  and  castanets  of  the  famous  “ Ghawa- 
zee,”  or  dancing-girls,  who,  banished  from  the  capital,  were 
forced  to  carry  their  voluptuous  allurements  farther  up  the 
river.  Having  often  wished  for  an  opportunity  of  witnessing 
their  performances,  I slipped  among  the  miscellaneous  assem- 
blage who  clustered  around  an  elevated  platform  on  which  the 
girls  were  dancing,  and,  as  I flattered  myself,  unperceived,  for 
on  such  occasions  as  these  one  is  not  anxious  to  be  conspicuous. 
But  my  Frank  hat,  and  the  umbrella  which  I carried  on  account 
of  the  heat,  betrayed  me,  and  an  officer  of  the  pasha’s  leaping 
up  from  his  seat,  pushed  aside  the  rabble,  and  taking  me  by 
the  hand,  hoisted  me  up  on  the  platform,  and  made  me  sit  down 
by  his  side,  a distinction  which  I was  equally  unwilling  to  ac- 
cept, or  without  offence  unable  to  decline. 

The  stage  or  platform  might  have  been  some  thirty  feet 
square,  partly  overshadowed  with  trees,  and  partly  covered 
with  a rude  awning  of  palm  leaves,  yet  the  heat  was  almost 
overpowering;  the  river  floated  slowly  past  like  boiling  oil, 
and  the  distance  was  one  undistinguishable  blaze  of  heated 
mist.  Around  the  platform  were  grouped  a number  of  the 


THE  DANCING-GIRLS. 


113 


The  two  dancing-girls  who  were  ministering  to  the  delight 
of  this  respectable  audience  seemed  half  overcome  with  the 
heat,  the  excitement,  and  raki,  which  an  old  white-bearded 
fellow  from  a neighboring  cafe  administered  at  the  end  of 

15 


pasha’s  officers,  civil  and  military,  some  on  low  seats,  and 
others  squatted  on  the  ground.  The  most  part  seemed  men 
grown  gray  under  a system  of  cruel  oppression,  of  which  they 
were  the  agents  ; their  faces  were  grave  to  coldness,  hard  and 
cruel  lines  were  about  their  eyes  and  mouths,  and  they  rarely 
moved  a muscle  but  when  some  little  by-play  of  the  dancers 
specially  addressed  to  themselves  brought  a hideously  sensual 
smile  across  their  pallid  faces.  These  personages  occupied  the 
seats  of  honor,  and  behind  them,  as  well  as  below,  were 
crowded  together  Fellahs  and  boatmen,  women  and  children  of 
all  ages,  equally  intent  upon  enjoying  what  may  be  considered 
the  national  dance. 


114 


THE  DANCING-GIRLS. 


every  dance.  They  had  once  been  handsome,  but  were  now, 
though  young,  decidedly  use,  worn  out  with  early  profligacy, 
and  bedaubed,  ‘ ad  nauseam,’ with  a thick  layer  of  vermilion. 
Their  dress  consisted  of  very  large  loose  trowsers  of  silk,  and  a 
tight-bodied  vest  open  at  the  bosom,  and  having  long  sleeves, 
with  a large  shawl  wreathed  round  and  supporting  their  lan- 
guid figures;  they  were  also  profusely  decorated  with  gold 
coins  and  bracelets.  When  I ascended  to  my  post  of  honor, 
or  rather  humiliation,  they  were  merely  figuring  in  lazy  and 
somewhat  graceful  attitudes  around  the  platform,  clicking  their 
castanets,  and  exchanging  speaking  glances  with  the  hoary 
sinners  around ; but  on  my  seating  myself,  one  of  them  saluted 
me  with  a ‘pas’  of  such  an  equally  original  and  unequivocal 
character,  as  elicited  a burst  of  laughter  and  applause  from  old 
and  young,  brought  the  blood  into  my  cheeks,  and  made  me 
wish  myself  anywhere  else  than  where  I was.  The  dance  then 
began ; but  I am  not  going,  like  some  travelers,  to  give,  what 
Byron  calls,  “ a chaste  description”  of  it ; suffice  it  to  say,  that 
at  first  modestly  coquettish,  it  became  by  degrees  the  excitement 
of  wanton  frenzy,  and  at  length  died  away  in  languor.  The 
points  of  more  salient  expression  were  warmly  applauded,  both 
by  old  and  young ; none  were  here  ashamed  openly  to  evince, 
what  it  is  considered  more  decent  to  veil,  in  our  own  refined 
community,  where  the  accomplished  art  of  the  opera  figu- 
rante is  skilled  in  throwing  a still  more  dangerous  charm 
of  mingled  grace  and  piquancy  over  the  same  idea,  which, 
in  all  its  unveiled  grossness,  forms  the  characteristic  expres- 
sion of  the  Egyptian  dance.  I was  not,  of  course,  at  all  sur- 
prised at  this ; but  I had  expected,  from  the  descriptions  of 
former  travelers,  (which  I can  not  help  suspecting  of  exaggera- 
tion,) far  greater  elegance  in  the  movements  of  the  dancers ; . 1 

perhaps  these  might  not  have  been  among  the  most  accom- 
plished specimens  of  the  sisterhood.  I was  glad  enough  for 
once  to  have  witnessed  the  exhibition,  but  still  more  content 
to  escape  from  my  post  of  dishonorable  pre-eminence. 


THE  FYOOM. 


115 


St.  John  correctly  says  of  these  dances,  “ All  the  nations  of 
the  East  have,  from  the  remotest  ages,  delighted  in  this  species 
of  exhibition,  which  from  them  passed  into  Greece  and  Rome, 
where  it  furnished  the  poets  with  an  agreeable  theme  for  satire. 
Horace,  whose  Divus  Augustus  had  doubtless  helped  to  intro- 
duce it,  laments  that  the  young  ladies  had  acquired  a taste  for 
the  oriental  style  of  dancing,  which  was  evidently  popular  at 
Rome:  and  Juvenal,  who  had  traveled  in  Egypt,  at  a later 
period,  makes  mention  of  the  Roman  dancing-girls.  From 
paintings  preserved  in  the  grottos  of  Eilithyas  and  in  the 
tombs  of  Thebes,  we  find  that  the  ancient  Egyptians  had 
likewise  their  Ghavvazee,  who  were  employed  in  their  domestic 
entertainments  to  heighten  the  effect  of  the  song  and  the  bowl 
by  their  voluptuous  movements.”  Up  to  a recent  period, 
(as  late  as  1832,)  their  performances  constituted  the  principal 
excitement  of  the  Cairenes ; but  the  influence  of  the  Mussul- 
man doctors  was  opposed  to  the  scandal,  and  the  government 
was  obliged  to  renounce  the  tax  levied  upon  their  vices,  and 
banish  them  into  the  provinces. 

Benisouef  is  a considerable  town,  the  capital  of  a province, 
and  residence  of  a bey ; and  the  principal  road  into  the  Fyoom 
and  to  lake  Mceris  is  from  hence.  I was  prevented  by  the 
inundation  from  visiting  this  district,  which,  however,  is  full 
of  interest.  The  pyramid  of  Howara  marks  the  site  of  the 
labyrinth,  one  of  the  wonders  of  ancient  Egypt;  little  remains 
of  it  above  ground,  but  Dr.  Lepsius  has  recently  excavated,  and, 
it  is  said,  traced  out  the  plan.  Additional  interest  has  also  been 
given  to  the  Fyoom  by  the  discovery  by  M.  Linant  of  what  are 
supposed  to  be  the  genuine  traces  of  the  celebrated  artificial 
reservoir  of  Mceris,  made  to  retain  the  water  of  the  Nile  after 
the  subsidence  of  the  inundation ; and  at  Biahmoo  are  some 
curious  ruins,  which,  if  his  views  are  correct,  are,  probably, 
those  of  the  two  pyramids  mentioned  by  Herodotus  as  being  in 
the  midst  of  this  lake.  The  Birket  el  Korn,  hitherto  regarded 
as  the  lake  Mceris,  is  a natural  lake,  thirty-five  miles  long  by 


116 


MORNING  ON  THE  NILE. 


seven  broad  ; its  level  is  lower  than  that  of  the  Nile.  Beside 
these  interesting  vestiges,  there  are  a few  other  remains.  The 
Fyoom  has  always  been  noted  for  its  fertility,  and  the  variety  of 
its  products.*  After  a brief  turn  in  the  wretched  bazaar  of 
Benisouef,  I rejoined  my  boat,  and  with  the  afternoon  breeze 
made  considerable  way  up  the  river,  the  banks  of  which  now 
begin  to  assume  a more  interesting  appearance. 

When  I threw  open  my  window  very  early  next  morning,  the 
boat  was  gliding  softly  under  a light  breeze  within  a few  yards 
of  the  shore,  which  was  lined  with  groves  of  the  date  palm,  re- 
flected by  the  glassy,  rippling  current  of  the  river.  I break- 
fasted under  the  awning  outside  the  cabin.  There  are  hours 
which  one  can  never  forget,  into  which  the  enjoyment  generally 
spi'ead  over  large  portions  of  life  seems  as  it  were  concentrated  ; 
among  these  there  are  few  more  happy  than  those  in  which  we 
realize  another  climate,  the  air,  soil,  and  vegetation  being 
totally  different,  and  all  inspiring  new  and  delicious  sensations  ; 
when  a new  page  of  the  endless  variety  of  creation  lies  open 
before  us.  Such  was  this  morning  upon  the  Nile.  There  was 
- such  a broad,  lustrous  tranquillity  in  the  cloudless,  purple 
heaven,  shed  upon  the  noble  stream,  coming  down  through 
its  eternal  valley  in  a full,  majestic,  glassy  current ; the  tall 
stems  of  the  palms,  grouping  to  the  very  edge  of  the  river,  lifted 
their  burden  of  gently  rustling  fans  so  serenely  into  the  summer 
air,  with  their  glowing  clusters  of  yellow  dates,  just  ripening 
and  tremulous  with  their  heavy  weight,  their  rich  gum  catching 
the  morning  beams ; and  the  level  green  valley,  variegated 
with  crops,  spread  away  so  quietly  to  its  desert  boundary,  its 
verdure  rendered  tenfold  more  beautiful  by  contrast  with  the 
yellow  sands.  I leaped  ashore,  and  walked  along  the  raised 
bank  of  the  river ; the  palm-trees  and  groves  of  sont,  a spe- 
cies of  acacia,  were  thronged  by  innumerable  birds  darting 
about  the  surface  of  the  water  ; and  so  happy  and  joy-inspiring 
is  the  climate,  that  the  poor,  enslaved  Fellah  for  a while  forgets 
* See  Wilkinson,  vol  ii. 


AN  EGYPTIAN  VILLAGE. 


117 


his  care,  and  mingles  his  songs  with  theirs,  as  he  leaves  his  vil- 
lage to  repair  to  the  labors  of  the  field.  Strolling  through 
the  palm-groves,  I reached  Bibbe,  a considerable  village  stand- 
ing on  a high  bank  above  the  river.  The  villages  in  Egypt, 
very  pretty  at  a distance,  are  far  from  answering  to  the  lux- 
uriant appearance  of  the  country,  and  a brief  inspection  reveals 
the  degraded  and  miserable  state  of  the  inhabitants.  Vast 
mounds  of  dust  and  offal  are  usually  collected  at  the  outskirts, 
the  favorite  resort  of  dogs,  flies,  and  filthy  children  often  quite 
naked,  who  assail  the  traveler,  the  one  with  loud  barkings,  and 
the  other  with  deafening  cries  for  beckshish.  The  dwellings  are 
but  a collection  of  mud  hovels  ; but  the  residence  of  the  “ Sheik 
belled,”  or  head  of  the  village,  has  usually  a little  more  architec- 
tural pretensions,  though  confined  to  the  same  material.  This 
functionary  is  often  tolerably  well  dressed,  but  the  great  bulk  of 
the  Fellahs  have  scarcely  a rag  to  cover  them,  and  the  women’s 
whole  clothing  consists  of  a long  blue  robe,  grievously  worn  and 
tattered.  Enter  one  of  their  wretched  dwellings, — there  are  but 
a few  vessels  for  food  and  water,  and  the  ground  serves  for 
chair  and  table  ; yet,  as  in  such  a climate  it  is  certain  that  the 
wants  of  the  body  are  far  less  sensibly  felt,  it  always  seemed 
to  me  that  our  own  poor  are  often  greater  sufferers,  and  squalid 
hovels  and  naked  children  are  unhappily  met  with  in  Ireland 
as  they  are  here.  Beside  the  dwelling  of  the  Sheik  belled, 
the  mosque  with  its  small  minaret  is  the  only  feature  of  the 
village,  if  we  except  the  singular  pigeon-houses,  which  are 
built  up  on  the  roofs  of  the  cottages  in  square  and  pyramidal 
fashion,  consisting  of  a great  number  of  earthen  jars  piled  one 
above  another,  and  cemented  with  plaster,  each  jar  serving  as  a 
nest : innumerable  quantities  of  these  birds  are  thus  lodged, 
and  their  flitting  about  the  fields  and  groves,  or  on  the  village 
roofs,  is  a very  lively  spectacle.  I have  been  amused  at  the 
grotesque  spectacle  presented  at  one  of  these  villages  at  high 
noon,  when  the  whole  population,  rational  and  irrational, 
seems  to  take  the  river  ‘ en  masse.’  The  buffaloes,  descend- 


118 


THE  PILGRIM  BOAT. 


ing  the  shelving  bank,  get  deepest  into  the  water,  often  showing 
but  the  tips  of  their  noses,  eyes,  and  horns,  which  peer  above 
the  stream  with  a look  of  intense  complacency ; camels,  asses, 
and  sheep  crowd  down  to  the  brink  ; old  men  are  seen  sit- 
ting apart  gravely  by  the  edge,  engaged  in  an  elaborate  purifi- 
cation of  their  persons,  without  a particle  of  clothing ; naked 
children  are  dabbling  and  washing  one  another,  and  women 
swimming  about  in  the  stream  ; while  those  who  have  already 
profited  by  the  cleansing  agency  of  the  flood,  are  sitting  apart 
deeply  involved  in  depopulating  their  ragged  garments  before 
venturing  again  to  resume  them. 

To-day  the  valley,  hitherto  quhe  flat,  began  to  exhibit  one 
of  its  peculiarities  in  Upper  Egypt,  ranges  of  wild,  arid  cliffs 
approaching  and  bordering  the  river  on  one  side  for  some 
miles,  while  the  opposite  shore  is  a rich  level.  As  we  ad- 
vance toward  Thebes  they  become  bolder,  the  Arabian  and 
Libyan  chains  of  mountains  alternately  advancing  and  reced- 
ing, though  the  former  are  much  higher.  We  were  becalmed 
to-day,  and  the  men  took  to  towing,  as  they  always  do,  reluct- 
antly. This  brought  us  up  with  another  and  larger  boat 
fastened  ashore,  which  had  been  hired  by  a numerous  company 
of  Turkish  pilgrims  from  Constantinople  and  Brousa,  who  were 
proceeding,  as  very  many  do,  by  way  of  Iveneh  across  the  desert 
to  Cosseir,  and  so  by  sea  to  Mecca.  The  major  part  were  men 
of  high  respectability,  well  dressed  and  well  mannered,  and 
though  the  red  cross  of  England  floated  from  the  mast  of  my 
little  bark,  and  the  crescent  from  theirs,  we  soon  contrived  to 
get  upon  a friendly  footing,  and  were  always  glad,  as  it  usually 
happened,  to  find  our  boats  sailing  side  by  side,  and  moored 
together  for  our  nightly  halt ; nor  wras  I long  in  discovering 
that  there  were  brighter  eyes  and  whiter  skins  than  those  of  the 
dusky  Egyptians  within  the  latticed  cabins  of  their  kangia ; but 
they  came  not  forth  from  the  confinement  of  their  floating 
harems.  At  sundown  the  pilgrims  formed  in  a line,  and,  with 
their  faces  toward  Mecca,  went  th-ough  the  evening  prayer  in 


AN  AQUATIC  BEGGAR. 


119 


a manner  full  of  impressive  solemnity.  An  old  dervish,  much 
honored,  seemed  to  be  the  leader  of  their  devotions. 

Next  day  the  breeze  sprung  up,  and  we  ran  together  under 
Gebel  e Tayr,  or  the  “ mountain  of  the  birds,”  a range  of  precipi- 
tous cliffs  coming  down  sheer  to  the  water,  broken  into  ledges 
which  afford  shelter  to  a vast  number  of  water-fowl.  On  the 
bleak  exposed  level  above  is  a Coptic  convent,  or  rather  enclosed 
village,  which  is  famous  for  a race  of  aquatic  Christian  mendi- 
cants, who,  darting  down  the  steep  cliffs  from  their  aerial  perch, 
plunge  into  the  river,  and  beset  the  boats  of  travelers  with 
importunate  clamor.  My  red  cross  made  me  a palpable  mark, 
and  accordingly  it  was  not  long  ere  I beheld  one  of  the  fraternity 
rapidly  cleaving  the  waves,  shouting  “Christiano  Howaga,” 
though  how  he  could  have  descended  the  perpendicular  pre- 
cipice I sought  in  vain  to  discover.  Striking  out  most  vigor- 
ously, he  soon  came  up  with  the  boat ; brandy  was  his  first 
entreaty,  then  bread,  bottles,  and  above  all,  beckshish.  He  was 
a stalwart  rogue,  and  as  he  stood,  in  pur  is  naturalibus,  upon  the 
deck,  I thought  that  had  there  been  any  on  board  to  whom  it 
would  have  signified,  I would  have  had  him  soundly  switched 
with  the  corbash  and  kicked  into  his  favorite  element,  notwith- 
standing our  Christian  brotherhood  : as  it  was,  the  incident  was 
amusing  enough,  and  we  gave  him  a little  of  all  he  asked  for ; 
the  brandy  he  took  internally,  the  bread  he  balanced  on  his 
head,  the  piastres  he  put  into  his  mouth,  and  holding  a bottle 
in  one  hand,  he  contrived,  though  thus  encumbered,  to  steer 
his  course  with  the  other  into  a cranny  of  the  rocks,  and 
scrambled  up,  the  Lord  knows  how,  to  his  abode,  amid  the 
loud  shouts  of  the  admiring  boatmen.  A recent  traveler, 
Mr.  Curzon,  has  solved  the  mystery  of  the  ascent,  having 
climbed  up  to  the  convent  by  a very  curious  natural  tunnel 
which  perforates  the  precipice. 

This  morning  with  a light  breeze  we  reached  Minyeh,  de- 
cidedly the  prettiest  looking  town  upon  the  Nile : there  is 
an  old  white  tomb  under  a sycamore  at  one  end  of  the  place, 


120 


TOMBS  OF  BENI  HASSAN. 


and  the  range  of  buildings  along  the  water,  interspersed  with 
date  groves,  has  a very  pleasing  effect ; many  of  the  edifices  are 
large,  respectable,  and  very  clean,  and  the  interior  of  the  town 
is  somewhat  better  than  usual,  boasting  even  of  a bath.  The 
view  from  Minyeh  is  also  very  beautiful.  Here  we  laid  in  as 
usual  some  fresh  provisions,  all  exceedingly  cheap. 

Farther  up  the  river  we  landed  to  pay  a hasty  visit  to  the 
celebrated  tombs  of  Beni  Hassan,  which  are  situated  high  up 
the  side  of  the  hills,  which  I reached  after  a very  toilsome 
walk.  Broad  ways  lead  up  to  them  from  the  west,  and  after 
toiling  up  the  unsheltered  slope,  you  are  somewhat  indemnified 
even  by  the  extensive  view  it  commands  over  the  green  valley 
of  the  river.  The  tombs  are  unique  in  Egypt,  not  so  much  for 
the  numerous  and  highly  interesting  representations  on  the 
walls  of  Egyptian  manners  and  customs,  but  from  the  resem- 
blance of  the  style  of  their  porticoes  to  the  Grecian  Doric, 
which  was,  probably  enough,  derived  from  it,  as  will  be  seen  by 


reference  to  the  annexed  illustration  ; and  what  seems  to  render 
this  yet  more  singular,  is  their  high  antiquity,  and  the  supposi- 


TOMBS  OF  BENI  HASSAN. 


121 


tion  that  the  porticoes  were  imitated  from  constructive  archi- 
tecture, cotemporary  or  of  still  earlier  date,  the  reverse  of 
which  is  however  quite  as  probable.  Indeed  this  tomb 
opens  a very  curious  subject  for  speculation.  The  interior  is 
exceedingly  simple  and  elegant,  having  a central  avenue  of  the 
same  Doric  columns,  with  a low  coved  ceiling,  which  Wilkin- 
son suggests  may  have  been  copied  from  a stone  arch.  On 
each  side  is  an  aisle,  and  there  is  a large  niche  or  recess 
at  the  end  of  the  central  avenue.  The  walls  having  been  pre- 
pared, and  divided  by  lines  into  different  compartments,  were 
covered  with  an  elaborate  series  of  representations,  which  set 
before  us  in  a most  lively  style,  and  with  surprising  distinctness, 
the  domestic  manners  of  that  remote  period — they  are  indeed  a 
mine  to  the  antiquary.  This  is  the  first  time  that  I had  seen 
this  interesting  peculiarity  of  Egyptian  antiquities,  and  I was 
proportionally  astonished  and  delighted.  The  colors,  con- 
sidering the  antiquity  of  the  tomb,  are  wonderfully  preserved. 
In  the  style  of  execution  there  is  no  great  display  of  art,  but 
the  variety  of  the  paintings  is  inexhaustible.  They  em- 
brace all  the  processes  of  agriculture  from  sowing  to  harvest, 
with  fowling,  fishing,  and  hunting  scenes,  some  of  the  latter  re- 
markable for  their  spirit ; the  different  trades  and  occupations, 
and  even  amusements,  dancing,  wrestling,  playing  at  draughts 
and  ball,  and  the  mode  of  administering  punishment  by  the 
same  process  as  at  the  present  day,  namely,  the  bastinado.  Here 
you  see,  as  on  the  bank  of  the  Nile  at  the  present  day,  peasants 
proceeding  to  market,  bearing  their  burdens,  and  driving  their 
cattle  before  them,  while  the  different  craft  on  the  river  are 
depicted  with  equal  attention.  They  have  the  appearance  of 
minute  and  laboriously  accurate  delineations.  It  seems  as 
though  nothing  pertaining  to  every-day  life  was  forgotten;  a 
lively  and  sometimes  half-ludicrous  vein  runs  through  the 
whole  series,  which,  even  to  a hasty  visitor,  rise  up  with  marvel- 
ous familiarity  and  distinctness,  while  the  antiquary  is  enabled 
by  a careful  analysis  to  fill  up  a very  complete  picture  of  the 

16 


122 


THE  RAMADAN. 


manners  and  customs  of  the  ancient  Egyptians.  In  the  tomb 
represented,  there  is  on  the  top  of  the  left-hand  wall  a procession 
of  figures  which  has  attracted  much  attention.  The  tomb  is  of 
the  early  time  of  Osirtesen  I.,  with  whom  Joseph  is  supposed  to 
have  been  cotemporary,  and  it  has  been  sometimes  imagined 
that  this  band  of  strangers  might  be  the  brethren  of  the  patri- 
arch. The  group  will  be  gazed  on  with  great  interest,  though 
Wilkinson  is  unable  to  admit  the  above  supposition,  as,  though 
obviously  orientals,  their  number  does  not  agree  with  that  given 
in  the  Bible  ; they  are,  besides,  represented  as  captives,  and  the 
name  of  the  owner  of  the  tomb,  who  was  governor  of  this  part 
of  the  country,  is  also  totally  different.  Beside  the  tombs 
which  so  strongly  resemble  Doric  porticoes,  there  are  others 
which  display  the  early  style  of  Egyptian  architecture,  formed 
upon  the  imitation  of  the  lotus  and  papyrus,  which  is  carried 
out  more  fully  in  the  temples. 

Tracking  is  toilsome  for  the  men,  and  small  is  the  pro- 
gress thus  made  against  the  current ; a new  source  of  delay 
also  has  arisen  in  the  Ramadan,  “ the  month  of  fasting,”  whose 
inauspicious  moon  succeeded  this  night.  My  servant  is  a rigid 
and  pious  Mussulman,  and  pilgrim  to  boot;  several  times  a day 
he  prostrates  himself  upon  the  deck.  Happily  his  zeal  in  my 
service  seems  to  keep  pace  with  his  piety,  and  his  fury  against 
the  worthless  Reis  more  than  equals  the  fervor  of  his  prayers. 
I was  condoling  with  him  on  the  hardship  of  preparing  so  many 
good  dishes,  of  which  he  could  not  partake  on  account  of  his 
religious  principles ; when  he  gravely  smiled,  and  assured  me 
that  I was  under  a mistake,  there  being  a special  exemption  in 
behalf  of  travelers,  who,  in  consideration  of  their  fatigues,  were 
allowed  to  perform  their  month’s  fasting  by  future  instalments, 
a discretion,  in  the  same  manner  as  Sancho  liquidated  his  thou- 
sand lashes.  I asked  if  this  merciful  provision  also  extended  to 
the  Reis  and  sailors,  but  this  idea  he  indignantly  repudiated  ; as 
they  were  only  laboring  in  their  ordinary  vocation,  the  exemp- 
tion did  not  apply  to  them  ; and  this  curious  distinction  without 


THE  RAMADAN. 


123 


a difference  themselves  admitted,  all  but  the  Reis  himself,  a man 
of  no  religion,  a practical  infidel,  a Kafir,  as  Salem  indig- 
nantly told  him,  who,  instead  of  religiously  working  and  not  eat- 
ing, would  only  eat  and  not  work,  sleeping  like  a dog  during 
the  greater  part  of  the  day.  The  rest,  from  the  old  steersman  to 
the  last  of  the  crew,  never,  to  my  knowledge,  infringed  in  the 
slightest  instance  the  terrible  rigor  of  this  prohibition;  the 
cravings  of  hunger  they  indeed  contrived,  in  some  measure,  to 
satisfy  by  taking  their  meals  shortly  before  sunrise,  but,  with 
their  beloved  Nile  at  hand,  not  a drop  of  water  passed  their 
lips  during  the  burning  summer’s  day ; nor  were  they  even 
free  to  amuse  the  vacuum  of  their  stomachs  by  the  fumes  of 
the  consoling  pipe ; listless  and  languid,  they  labored  at  the 
toilsome  tracking  as  usual,  though  with  diminished  energy, 
until  the  hour  of  sunset.  Then  the  welcome  pipe  might  safely 
be  taken  up,  for  I remarked  they  always  began  with  it,  and 
after  their  temperate  meal  they  were  full  of  merriment,  sing- 
ing often  to  a late  hour  in  the  night.  I frequently  en- 
deavored insidiously  to  undermine  the  faith  of  the  poor  old 
steersman  with  arguments  of  expediency  drawn  from  his  weak- 
ness and  from  the  compassion  of  Allah,  urging  him  to  take  the 
food  which  his  infirmities  really  required ; but  he  remained  im- 
penetrable to  all  my  infidel  solicitations  and  tempting  offers. 

The  boatmen  of  the  Nile  are  not  less  pious  in  their  way  than  the 
rest  of  the  Egyptian  Arabs,  or  less  accustomed  to  the  use  of  those 
religious  forms  so  characteristic  of  Mohammedan  intercourse. 
Their  mutual  salutations  are  all  prayers,  like  those  of  Boaz  and 
his  reapers.  “Peace  be  unto  you” — “God  be  with  you” — 
“ May  God  receive  you  into  Paradise,”  are  common  expressions 
interchanged  between  passing  crews,  and  they  never  pass,  even 
at  a distance,  without  saluting  one  another.  The  songs  with 
which  they  encourage  one  another  at  the  labor  of  the  oar  are 
in  a similar  strain  of  invocation,  and  often  have  a very  beautiful 
effect.  The  Reis  leads  the  air,  and  the  boatmen  sing  in  chorus, 
increasing  the  fervor  of  their  chant  and  the  vigor  of  their 


124 


BUCKSHEESH. 


labors  almost  to  frenzy,  with  the  difficulty  to  be  surmounted. 
For  all  this,  they  have,  like  other  people,  a class  morality  and 
feeling,  being  far  more  honest  and  courteous  to  one  another  than 
to  the  Fellahs  on  shore,  whose  property  they  always  steal  when 
they  can,  without  thinking  any  thing  of  it;  a practice,  by  the 
way,  religiously  reciprocated  by  the  landsmen. 

Nothing  can  be  done  with  them  without  frequent  presents  of 
meat  or  money.  Dr.  Olin  amusingly  says,  “ Gratuities  of  all 
sorts,  in  food,  money,  or  any  other  form,  are  denominated 
‘ bucksheesh.’  This  is  the  first  word  in  the  language  which  a 
traveler  is  likely  to  learn,  and  the  least  tenacious  memory  is  in 
no  danger  of  forgetting  it.  It  is  repeated  by  every  body  and 
on  all  occasions.  If  the  traveler  turns  his  eye  ever  so  care- 
lessly toward  a boat  or  a buffalo,  a pile  of  wheat  or  a sack  of 
dates,  he  is  asked  for  bucksheesh  by  the  persons  who  have  the 
charge  of  these  objects.  If  you  look  into  a cabin  or  the  gate  of  a 
village,  you  are  expected  to  pay  ‘bucksheesh.’  Every  person  who 
does  you  any  service,  in  addition  to  the  stipulated  or  usual  pay, 
expects  ‘bucksheesh.’  If  we  speak  kindly  to  the  Reis  or  sailors, 
or  even  look  upon  them  with  an  unclouded  brow,  they  demand 
this  species  of  tribute.  If  the  wind  proves  favorable,  or  we 
have  succeeded  in  driving  them  to  their  work  a little  earlier 
than  usual,  or  in  keeping  under  sail  till  the  sun  is  fairly  out  of 
sight,  it  is  sure  to  be  hailed  as  an  auspicious  occasion  when  we 
may  testify  our  approbation  by  a gratuity.  Our  sailors,  as 
often  as  we  will  listen  to  them,  amuse  us  with  stories  about  the 
Howagas,  or  Frank  gentlemen,  whom  they  have  formerly 
carried  upon  the  Nile.  In  all  of  their  narratives  they  have  no 
other  standard  of  excellence  than  the  amount  of  bucksheesh 
bestowed  upon  them.  The  man  who  has  given  bucksheesh 
liberally,  no  matter  if  he  has  flogged  them  every  day,  is  always 
taib*  All  others  are  evil  in  their  sight.” 

I have  now  become  quite  accustomed  to  this  boating,  and  in 
many  respects  it  is  unequaled  traveling.  I have  not  yet  de- 

* Good — excellent. 


THE  KANGIA. 


125 


scribed  my  little  vessel,  or  my  mode  of  life.  The  kangia  is 
about  thirty  feet  long,  with  two  masts  and  large  latine  sails,  very 
picturesque  in  appearance,  and  admirably  well  adapted  to  make 
the  most  of  the  wind ; there  is  but  one  objection  to  them,  they 
require  constant  attention  and  nice  management,  without  which 
one  runs  the  greatest  risk  of  capsizing  by  the  sudden  squalls 
which  come  down  from  the  mountains.  The  after-part  of  the 
vessel  is  occupied  by  a double  cabin  with  a narrow  space  be- 
tween, the  principal  one  opening  on  the  deck,  and  prolonged 
as  it  were  by  means  of  an  open  verandah,  under  which  it  was 
pleasant  to  sit  during  the  great  heat  of  the  day.  There  is  a 
bench  on  each  side  the  main  cabin,  which  has  also  windows 
with  green  blinds,  which  can  be  opened  and  shut  at  pleasure. 
One  of  these  benches  was  furnished  with  a matress,  which 
served  by  day  for  a sofa,  and  by  night,  with  a little  addition,  as 
a bed  ; the  other  was  partly  occupied  by  books,  &c.,  and  served 
also  as  a table.  Now  that  the  bugs  were  routed,  all  was  per- 
fectly clean ; every  morning,  both  deck  and  cabin  were 
thoroughly  washed,  an  operation  absolutely  essential  to  comfort. 
The  after-cabin  and  passage  served  as  a deposit  for  stores  and  a 
washing-room.*  The  breezes  on  the  river  are  so  refreshing, 
that  I slept  far  better  in  my  little  cabin  than  at  Cairo.  I was 
always  up  and  dressed  at  a very  early  hour,  often  before  sun- 
rise ; and  nothing  can  be  more  delicious  than  these  morning 
experiences  on  the  broad  bosom  of  the  river,  gliding  alongside 
the  shore  in  the  freshness  and  serenity  of  dawn.  One  delight 
of  this  mode  of  travel  is,  that  you  are  always  at  home  with 
nature  ; — for  weeks  one  never  misses  seeing  the  sun  rise  and  set 
in  the  same  unrivaled  splendor.  I was  familiar  with  moon- 
light and  starlight  on  the  broad  and  glassy  stream,  and  though, 
traveling  alone,  the  hours  often  hung  heavy  on  my  hands,  I 
had  others  beyond  all  price.  As  the  wind  was  often  light  in 
the  forenoon,  it  afforded  an  opportunity  for  taking  a walk, 

* It  was  much  infested  with  rats ; the  best  prevention  is  to  hang  a light 
up  in  the  cabin,  which  generally  frightens  them  away. 


r 


126  an  evening  scene. 

sometimes  of  some  miles,  along  the  raised  bank,  before  the  heat 
grew  intense ; and  this  habit  was  at  once  healthy,  and  affords 
every  opportunity  of  enjoying  the  rich  variety  of  cultivation 
which  adorns  the  valley,  as  well  as  of  gaining  an  insight  into 
the  habits  of  the  population. 

The  hours  of  noon  are  those  alone  in  which,  even  in  summer, 
there  is  any  sense  of  oppressive  heat ; the  roof  of  the  cabin  is 
then  scorched,  the  atmosphere  within  is  close  and  sultry,  and 
you  long  for  the  shadow  of  a tree  on  shore.  As  the  evening 
advanced  and  the  heat  declined,  I generally  mounted  upon  the 
roof  of  the  cabin,  and  took  my  post  by  the  old  Nubian  steers- 
man. The  setting  of  the  sun  was  looked  for  with  anxious 
interest  by  the  fasting  sailors,  and  as  he  sank  in  glory  behind 
the  Libyan  mountains,  they  revived  from  their  languor,  and  be- 
gan to  chat  and  sing,  and  exchange  lively  sallies  of  merriment. 
The  grateful  smoke  of  their  evening  meal  curled  up  among 
the  cordage,  and  it  was  pleasant  to  see  them  assembled  around 
it,  and  grow  more  and  more  animated  as  the  evening  advanced. 
The  swelling  sails  are  reddened  by  the  evening  glow,  and  the 
little  kangia  glides  almost  dreamily  along  the  enchanted  river, 
old  Nilus  with  his  full  and  solemn  flow.  There  is  no  describ- 
ing the  beauty  of  the  scene  and  hour,  such  as  I felt  it  this 
evening  on  the  approach  to  the  village  of  Sheik  Abade,  the 
ancient  Antinoopolis — no  telling  how  gloriously  the  setting  sun 
burnished  the  palm-groves  which  line  the  river’s  brink,  and 
the  Sheik’s  house  and  sycamore-tree,  the  bright  sails,  and 
the  young  camels  browsing  among  the  verdure ; nor  the  vivid- 
ness with  which  all  the  objects  were  reflected  into  the  glassy  cur- 
rent, how  gorgeous  were  the  hues  of  sunset  upon  the  river  and 
the  rocky  hills,  how  sacred  the  stillness  of  the  hour,  and  the 
intense  tranquillity  of  that  broad  Egyptian  sky.  A musky 
fragrance  coming  off  deliciously  from  the  shores,  the  monoto- 
nous creak  of  the  water-wheel,  the  distant  and  fitful  cries  from 
the  villages,  or  the  shrill  note  of  some  solitary  bird  flitting  across 
the  stilly  expanse  of  the  river,  all  add  to  the  luxurious  melan- 


BEYADIEH. 


127 


* 


choly  of  the  scene  and  hour.  As  the  sun  sank,  in  the  midst  of  the 
rosy  light  with  which  all  nature  yet  glowed  and  trembled,  (‘  the 
after-glow,’  as  some  have  well  called  it,)  the  yellow  orb  of  the 
moon  uprose  from  behind  the  eastern  hills,  and  the  mingled 
light  of  the  two  luminaries  long  blended  in  beauty  indescrib- 
able, till  the  red  light  paling  more  and  more,  gave  place  to 
night,  scarcely  less  bright,  but  softer  and  more  spiritual  than 
day,  and  yet  indescribably  intoxicating.  The  stars  came  out, 
not  dimly,  as  in  northern  climates,  but  starting  up  at  once 
resplendently  from  behind  the  hills  with  almost  supernatural 
brilliancy,  casting  far  down  into  the  depths  of  the  still  river 
reflections  so  wonderfully  vivid,  that  the  boat,  as  it  noiselessly 
cleft  the  waters,  seemed  to  float  through  liquid  space  studded 
with  all  its  orbs.  At  such  times,  the  simple  beauty  of  such 
scenes  alone  would  be  sufficient  enjoyment,  but  you  are  never 
here  without  in  addition  a haunting  sense  of  the  wonders  that 


line  the  banks  of  the  river,  remains  of  the  past  empire  of  that 
great  people  to  whom  its  waters  were  sacred. 

We  reached  Beyadieh  about  eight,  the  wind  then  sunk,  and 
we  moored  the  boat  a little  in  advance  of  the  village.  I went 
on  shore  to  enjoy  the  beauty  of  the  night,  and  was  walking  up 
and  down,  when  a few  Copts,  returning  from  a neighboring 
convent,  attracted  by  my  Frank  costume,  came  up  and  claimed 
Christian  brotherhood,  with  many  sincere  demonstrations  of 
good-will.  We  sat  down  on  the  bank  of  the  river  and  con- 
versed. They  were  fine-looking  men,  the  chief  of  the  adjoining 
village,  which  was  entirely  held  by  Copts.  From  all  that  I 
could  gather,  they  complained  less  of  the  exactions  of  the 
pasha,  and  seemed  in  more  comfortable  condition,  than  the 
peasants  elsewhere  ; their  lands  are  also  better  and  more  skil- 
fully cultivated,  and  thus  the  burden  of  oppression  falls  more 
lightly  on  them.  There  is  a considerable  number  of  them  in 
this  neighborhood,  and  they  possess  sevei’al  convents. 

The  following  account  is  given  of  the  foundation  of  Antino- 
opolis.  Upon  his  visit  to  Egypt,  the  emperor  Hadrian  was 


128 


ANTINOOPOLIS. 


accompanied  by  his  favorite,  the  beautiful  Antinous,  of  whom 
so  many  busts  and  statues  are  to  be  seen  in  different  museums. 
The  emperor  had  consulted  the  Egyptian  astrologers  as  to  his 
future  fate  and  the  welfare  of  the  empire,  and  the  oracle  had 
declared  that  his  prosperity  must  be  purchased  by  the  sacrifice 
of  whatever  was  most  dear  to  him.  Upon  this  the  grateful 
Antinous,  to  secure  the  welfare  of  his  master,  threw  himself 
into  the  Nile,  near  the  village  of  Besa.  Well  may  it  be  said 
that 


“Nothing  in  his  life 
Became  him  like  the  leaving  it.” 

Hadrian  built  a city  by  which  to  commemorate  his  favorite, 
named  Antinoopolis,  and  the  country  round  the  new  city  was 
formed  into  the  “ Antinoite  nome.”  It  was,  of  course,  rather  a 
Roman  than  an  Egyptian  city.  There  are  very  extensive  traces 
of  its  ancient  magnificence,  but  none  of  its  monuments  are  now 
standing. 

The  wind  freshened  toward  morning,  and  we  pursued  our 
way,  in  the  evening  reaching  the  tremendous  precipices  of 
Djebel  Aboufodde,  on  the  Arabian  side,  which  hang  fearfully 
above  the  rapid  current,  and  assume,  as  the  boat  passes  close 
under  them,  an  aspect  of  terrific  grandeur ; far  up  among  their 
clefts  are  seen  the  caverns  formerly  tenanted  by  the  ascetics  of 
Upper  Egypt,  where  Athanasius  sought,  it  is  said,  shelter 
during  the  course  of  his  eventful  career.  Here  the  gusts  of 
wind,  coming  suddenly  down  from  the  high  eastern  desert 
through  the  ravines  of  the  mountain,  required  the  utmost 
attention ; we  had  several  narrow  escapes,  our  main-sail  was 
taken  in,  and  still,  impelled  forward  by  a strong  wind,  we 
swiftly  advanced,  in  spite  of  the  current,  toward  the  town  of 
Manfaloot.  This  town,  rapidly  declining  in  consideration, 
stands  on  a high  bank  of  earth  above  the  river,  which  sweeps 
round  it  with  such  fury  that  it  has  carried  away  large  portions, 
and  threatens  to  ruin  the  entire  place.  The  wind  increasing  to 


HANFALOOT  BY  NIGHT. 


129 


a gale,  soon  brought  us  alongside  our  friends  the  Mohammedan 
pilgrims,  whose  superior  sailing  qualities  had  enabled  them  to 
get  there  before  us. 

The  night  was  wild  and  stormy,  and  the  boat  rocked  about  so 
unpleasantly,  that  I was  glad  to  exchange  the  scene  and  go 
ashore  into  the  town.  A lamp  twinkling  in  the  small  minaret 
guided  us  on  our  way,  and  a stranger  scene  I have  rarely  be- 
held than  that  presented  by  the  streets  of  Manfaloot  by  night. 
They  were  so  obstructed  by  sleepers  in  the  dust  and  sand, 
that  it  was  difficult  to  avoid  tumbling;  over  some  of  them. 
The  sides  of  the  street  were  occupied  by  the  rational  crea- 
tion— dogs,  camels,  and  asses  irregularly  filling  up  the  center. 
Few  of  the  wretched  inhabitants  seemed  to  have  any  cover- 
ing but  the  scanty  rags  which  formed  their  unique  apparel ; 
but  in  some  cases,  the  father  of  a family  had  literally  “ spread 
his  skirt”  over  the  whole  brood  as  they  lay  nestled  up  together 
in  a heap.  Numerous  blind  men  were  grouping  about  in  a cloud 
of  dust  with  long  sticks  to  find  a suitable  corner  out  of  the 
main  thoroughfare,  and  out  of  reach  of  the  hoofs  of  camels 
and  asses.  Whether  this  sleeping  ‘sub  dio’  was  a matter  of 
preference,  or  rendered  necessary  by  the  houseless  condition 
of  these  poor  people,  I can  not  say,  but  few  things,  even  in  this 
land  of  misery,  struck  me  with  a more  painful  impression. 
Blind  beggars  abounded  in  the  morning:  one,  having  found 
out  there  was  a Frank  boat,  got  a boy  to  guide  him  to  its  side, 
and,  in  piteous  terms,  entreated  for  a garment : all  he  had  on 
scarce  served  the  purpose  of  decency,  and  had  been  so  patched 
and  darned,  that  there  was  no  longer  any  place  for  needle  to 
hold  ; no  skill  could  hold  its  tatters  together  much  longer,  and 
I expected  with  every  gust  to  see  them  decompose,  and  leave 
him  without  a rag : poor  fellow',  his  need  was  certainly  des- 
perate as  his  entreaties  were  urgent.  It  so  happened,  that  I 
had  on  board  an  old  pair  of  Turkish  cotton  drawers,  which  I 
had  taken  to  go  into  the  water,  and  I tossed  them  to  him  ; he 
passed  his  fingers  carefully  over  them,  and  when  he  found  they 

17 


130 


SIOUT. 


were  actually  whole  and  sound,  and  had  not  even  once  been 
mended,  his  joy  threatened  to  overset  his  reason,  and  somewhat 
peril  his  neck ; for  with  an  outpouring  of  thanks  and  blessings, 
he  stumbled  back  to  the  town  over  the  broken  ground,  with  a 
dangerous  rapidity  I should  not  have  supposed  him  to  be  capa- 
ble of. 

In  the  mountain  range  opposite  Manfaloot  are  the  celebrated 
crocodile  mummy  cases,  which  have  been  explored  with  so 
much  difficulty  and  danger.  I had  no  desire  to  be  half  suf- 
focated in  quest  of  the  sacred  animals,  and  sailed  away  with  a 
fair  wind,  on  my  upward  course  to  Thebes.  In  the  course  of 
this  evening  we  brought  to,  and  ‘ took  tea’  quietly  in  a se- 
cluded grove  of  palms  in  sight  of  Siout,  the  capital  of  Upper 
Egypt,  and  residence  of  the  governor.  This  is  a considerable 
town,  with  handsome  mosques ; and  the  environs  are  very  rich 
and  pleasing.  Behind  it  and  overlooking  the  valley  of  the 
Nile  rises  a mountain  range,  perforated  with  numerous  sepul- 
chers, an  excursion  to  which  is  gratifying,  for  the  sake  of  the 
extensive  view.  Siout  is  the  resort  of  the  caravans  of  slaves 
from  Darfur,  who,  after  being  hunted  down  in  their  native 
country,  are  brought  here  across  the  desert  from  the  great 
oasis,  at  a considerable  loss  of  life.  It  has,  moreover,  a still 
more  infamous  distinction,  as  being  the  chief  place  where  the 
black  guardians  of  the  harem  are  fitted  by  a torturing  process, 
and  by  the  loss  of  manhood,  for  their  degrading  functions. 
One  shudders  with  horror  at  such  a concatenation  of  atrocities, 
and  at  the  state  of  society  which  demands  so  many  unhappy 
victims.  It  would  scarcely  be  believed,  if  the  degraded  state 
of  Christianity  in  the  East  were  not  so  well  known,  that  its 
Coptic  professors  were  the  agents  in  this  most  horrible  violation 
of  humanity. 

After  a short  stay  at  this  place  I resumed  my  course  up  the 
river,  the  scenery  very  striking,  and  the  wind  unusually  favor- 
able and  strong ; so  that  the  whole  way  to  Girgeh  we  had  a 
sailing  match  with  the  pilgrim  boat,  which  took  but  very  little 


GIRGEH. 


131 


the  lead  of  us ; sometimes,  indeed,  we  ran  alongside  her,  and  I 
got  a peep  into  the  cabins  where  these  pious  gentlemen  had 
hidden  away  their  Turkish  beauties — for  one  at  least  was  lovely. 
The  finest  sailing  was  under  the  noble  crags  of  Gebel  Sheik 
Heredee  ; it  became  necessary  to  take  in  the  main-sail,  and 
yet  we  tore  through  the  water  at  a delightful  rate.  In  the 
afternoon,  we  ran  along  a flat  shore,  and  wei'e  assailed  by 
loud  cries  for  bread  from  the  naked  and  half-naked  children, 
(a  scene  painfully  reminding  me  of  Ireland,)  who  ran  alongside 
our  boat,  leaping  gullies  and  wading  canals,  with  all  the  eager- 
ness of  famine : one  fine  young  girl  threw  herself  naked  into  the 
river,  and  gaining  the  boat,  held  on  as  we  sailed,  (for  she  would 
not  come  on  deck,)  a feat  that  obtained  an  unusual  beckshish. 
Salem  got  on  the  top  of  the  cabin,  and  we  threw  away  among 
them,  in  the  wildness  of  the  scramble,  every  loaf  we  had  on 
board,  and  I was  fain  to  put  up  with  a stale  fragment  till  we 
reached  Girgeh  late  in  the  evening,  after  the  finest  day’s  sail- 
ing we  had  during  our  entire  cruise. 

We  found  several  boats  moored  at  the  landing-place  without 
the  town  ; from  the  next  to  our  own  proceeded  loud  chatter- 
ing, and  the  light  caught  upon  the  naked  dusky  skins  and 
woolly  heads  of  a number  of  negroes.  I went  ashore  and  found 
this  to  be  a Djerm  descending  the  river  laden  with  female 
slaves  for  the  Cairo  market,  the  major  part  negro  girls  of 
little  value,  with  some  few  more  delicate  specimens,  however, 
of  Abyssinian  beauty,  much  esteemed,  as  Mr.  Lane  informs  us, 
by  the  voluptuaries  of  the  capital. 

I went  on  shore  very  early  the  next  morning ; it  was  a dead 
calm  on  the  river.  The  principal  Jellab,  or  slave-dealer,  was 
seated  on  the  shore,  apparently  waiting  the  chance  of  a pur- 
chaser. A number  of  the  negro  girls  were  lounging  about 
upon  the  sunny  shore,  reveling  in  the  grateful  heat ; while 
others  sat  upon  the  boat.  They  were  fine,  well-made  creatures, 
glossy  as  satin,  and  in  excellent  condition  ; for  the  most  part 
lively,  careless  chatterers,  and  rather  bearing  out  the  accounts 


132 


THE  SLAVE  BOAT. 


of  some  travelers  of  warm  imagination,  who  represented  them  as 
purely  sensual,  and  always  anxious  to  attract  a purchaser  as 
soon  as  possible.  Whatever  suffering  they  might  have  en- 
dured in  the  circumstances  of  their  original  capture,  they  were 
to  all  appearance  taken  very  great  care  of.  A fat,  flabby  old 
Turk  now  came  waddling  down  from  Girgeh,  and  the  Abys- 
sinians  were  produced  and  shown.  They  did  not,  however, 
answer  his  expectations,  in  fact,  I had  myself  seen  far  hand- 
somer in  the  slave  bazaar  at  Cairo,  and  he  fell  back  upon  the 
negro  girls.  A group  was  now  formed  round  one  whom  I had 
not  noticed  before,  and  who  presented  in  her  reluctant,  down- 
cast manner,  a singular  contrast  to  the  rest.  Her  dress  con- 
sisted merely  of  a string  of  leathern  thongs  around  the  loins, 
but  a large  wrapper  was  thrown  loosely  over  her.  The  Jellab 
placed  her,  like  a connoisseur,  and  proceeded  to  dwell  upon 
her  ‘ points,’  but  she  did  not  somehow  tell  upon  the  sensual 
fantasy  of  the  old  Turk:  he  was  provoked  by  her  air  of  dejec- 
tion, and  rudely  thrust  up  her  declining  head  ; next,  with  a 
cautious  manipulation  from  head  to  foot,  proceeded,  in  jockey 
phrase,  to  ascertain  her  soundness  ; and,  finally,  hastily  whip- 
ping oft’  the  scanty  covering  from  the  poor  shrinking  creature, 
he  proceeded  to  satisfy,  with  a hasty  glance,  the  last  and  most 
important  particulars  of  his  curiosity.  The  Jellab  looked  up 
and  smiled  with  an  unanswerable  air,  but  the  old  Turk  looked 
dubious  and  unsatisfied,  the  crowd  of  callous  and  laughing  spec- 
tators were,  as  usual,  divided  in  opinion,  while  the  defenceless 
subject  of  their  gaze  and  controversy  stood  cowering  before 
them  with  an  air  of  abject,  hopeless  despondency.  One  might 
see  that,  although  of  a race  supposed  to  be  comparatively  desti- 
tute of  feeling,  nature  had  made  her  of  a mold  too  fine  for 
such  rude  handling;  perhaps  some  home  remembrance  came 
across  her  mind,  for  a more  melancholy  expression  I never  wit- 
nessed in  a human  creature.  Finally,  the  old  Turk  declined  to 
purchase  her,  and  she  walked  listlessly  back  again  to  her  corner 
in  the  hold  of  ' the  Djerm. 


A SLAVE  BOAT  AT  G-IRGEH 


SLAVERY  IN  AMERICA. 


133 


Sitting  somewhat  apart  was  a very  interesting  little  boy,  whose 
appearance  struck  me,  which,  when  the  Jellab  observed,  he  urged 
him  forward  to  solicit  a beckshish.  I inquired,  through  Salem, 
if  he  also  was  for  sale  ; the  Jellab,  with  a smile,  replied  that  he 
was,  and  that  he  could  recommend  him  too,  for  he  was  his  own 
son,  his  mother  being  a handsome  Abyssinian  slave,  by  the 
sale  of  whose  offspring  he  thus  expected  to  reconcile  profit 
with  pleasure.  It  wras  some  consolation  to  hope  that  this  poor 
child  might  find  in  the  humanity  of  a Turkish  or  Arab  master 
the  protection  which  his  own  father  denied ; that  if  gifted  by 
nature  he  might  perchance  rise  to  a high  station  in  society, 
and  become  the  counsellor  of  princes, — a redeeming  feature  in 
the  system  of  oriental  slavery,  which  is  wanting  in  the  far 
more  cruel  and  hopeless  despotism  of  the  great  western  re- 
public. 

Scenes  like  these  are  painful  to  witness  even  in  Egypt,  but 
what  are  they  compai'ed  with  such  as  follow  ? “ The  next  case,” 
says  a correspondent  of  the  Cincinnati  Herald,  “was  that  of  a 
young  white  woman,  sixteen  years  old,  with  a young  child.  I 
say  white  woman,  because  the  auctioneer  said  she  was  only  one- 
eighth  black,  and  I have  seen  many  of  the  fair  girls  of  Ohio 
who  could  not  boast  of  as  fair  complexion,  or  as  good  figure  or 
features.  She  came  upon  the  stand  with  her  infant  in  her 
arms,  in  the  deepest  misery.  A gentleman,  who  had  taken  his 
seat  beside  me,  observing  that  I was  very  interested,  remarked 
he  thought  I was  a stranger  in  that  country.  I answered  that 
I was.  ‘ These  things  look  odd  to  you  ?’  ‘ They  do.’  Said 

he,  ‘ You  see  that  man  in  the  crowd,’  pointing  to  one  within  a 
few  paces  of  the  stand,  ‘ that  is  Dr.  C.  He  hired  that  girl  last 
year,  and  that  child  is  his!’  The  Georgian  bid  three  hundred 
dollars;  some  one  bid  four;  the  Georgian  bid  four  fifty;  the 
girl  cast  a piercing  glance  at  the  crowd, — her  eyes  rested  on 
Dr.  C.,  who  instantly  averted  his  face.  She  gazed  one  moment, 
then  burst  into  a torrent  of  tears.  She  was  knocked  off  to  the 
Georgian.  Thus  the  fiend  saw  his  child  and  its  mother  sold 

16 


134 


EGYPT  AND  AMERICA. 


into  southern  bondage.  My  God  ! thought  I,  is  it  possible  ? I 
was  cured  of  my  pro-slavery  principles.” 

While  stealing  in  my  kangia  along  the  solitary  patriarch  of 
rivers,  I had  often  called  to  mind  the  huge  booming  steamboat 
of  the  American  waters  with  its  hundreds  of  passengers,  and 
fallen  into  a train  of  thought  arising  out  of  the  contrast.  There 
was  no  doubt  a time  when  the  banks  of  the  Nile  and  the  Mis- 
sissippi were  the  haunts  of  the  wandering  savage,  and  the  first 
civilization  that  arose  on  their  banks  is  alike  unrecorded  and 
mysterious.  But  in  the  course  of  ages  grew  up  that  great 
Egyptian  monarchy,  which  long  subsisted,  powerful  and  prosper- 
ous, whose  civilization  has  influenced  even  our  own  times  ; while 
still  the  king  of  western  floods  continued  to  roll  through  savan- 
nahs peopled  only  by  the  wandering  hunter.  Of  that  empire 
despotism,  caste,  and  slavery  were,  however,  constituent  ele- 
ments, and  the  admiration  with  which  we  regard  the  monu- 
ments of  its  grandeur  is  dashed  by  the  reflection  that  we  are 
looking  on  the  labors  of  human  victims. 

In  a later  age,  when  Christianity  had  induced  a more  humane 
civilization,  America  commenced  among  the  vast  primeval 
forest  her  noble  and  boundless  career.  Free  from  the  chains 
of  the  old  world,  but  with  the  advantage  of  all  their  arts  and 
sciences,  a century  or  two  suffice  to  bring  about  results  which, 
under  less  favorable  circumstances,  ages  might  not  have 
effected.  With  wonderful  energy  the  forests  are  felled,  cities 
arise,  emigration  pours  hosts  into  the  waste,  steam  joins  together 
the  remotest  corners  of  the  immense  territory,  which  is  rapidly 
filling  up  with  its  millions  of  inhabitants  ; while  the  population 
of  Egypt,  under  an  exterminating  policy,  is  as  rapidly  lessening. 
What  contrast  was  ever  more  striking  than  the  relative  condi- 
tion of  the  two  countries  at  the  present  day  ? Egypt,  fallen  and 
decrepit,  bowed  under  oppression  and  the  paralyzing  influence 
of  a false  religion.  America,  daily  rising  in  power,  a land  of 
light,  freedom,  enterprise,  and  Christianity  ! By  what  extraor- 
dinary chance  is  it  then,  that,  unlike  in  every  thing  else,  they 


THE  SHADOOF. 


135 


should  resemble  each  other  only  in  one  damning  particular — 
how  unaccountable  the  infatuation,  that,  under  circumstances  so 
opposite,  the  citizens  of  a free  republic  can  tolerate  the  worst 
institutions  of  the  old  world ; that  patriots  and  Christians,  ay, 
even  ministers  of  that  religion  of  mercy,  should  be  so  blind  to 
the  guilt  and  cruelty  of  this  system,  as  even  to  plead  for  it  the 
sanction  of  Divine  prescription  ! 

A few  miles  back  from  Girgeh  are  the  ruins  of  Abydos,  or 
This,  already  alluded  to  in  the  historical  introduction.  There 
are  the  remains  of  two  temples,  partly  buried  in  sand  and  rub- 
bish. They  were  built  by  Osirei  and  his  son  llameses  the  Great. 
In  one  of  these,  sacred  to  Osiris,  was  found  the  famous 
tablet  of  Abydos,  containing  a series  of  the  names  of  the  royal 
predecessors  of  llameses,  agreeing  perfectly  with  a similar  one 
at  Thebes.  Unfortunately  the  portion  containing  the  earlier 
kings  was  broken  otf.  This  important  fragment  is  now  in 
the  British  Museum. 

Between  Girgeh  and  Keneh  the  scenery  is  in  many  places 
exceedingly  fine,  especially  in  the  neighborhood  of  Kasr  e 
Sayd,  where  the  Dorn  or  Theban  palm  begins  to  blend  its 
peculiar  fan-like  foliage  with  that  bearing  the  date,  and  to  add 
to  the  enchanting  richness  of  the  vegetation.  The  fertile,  level 
plain,  covered  with  luxuriant  crops  of  Indian  corn,  the  finest 
imaginable,  with  sugar-cane,  and  a variety  of  leguminous 
herbs,  among  which  the  nutritious  and  palatable  bamyeh  is 
conspicuous  at  this  season,  delights  the  eye  with  its  perpetual 
greenness,  as  the  boat  glides  past  the  luxuriant  and  scented  banks 
at  even-tide.  How  many  beautiful  scenes  of  this  kind  recur 
as  we  advance  ! and  how  blessed  indeed  would  be  this  land,  if 
the  race  who  cultivate  it  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  civilization; 
if  the  comfortable  homes  of  freemen  replaced  the  mud  hovels 
and  squalid  misery  of  the  poor  Fellahs  ! The  mode  of  irriga- 
tion adopted  in  Upper  Egypt  differs  from  that  seen  below  Cairo, 
the  water-wheels  being  replaced  by  the  Shadoof.  In  general 
there  is  but  one  man  with  a lever,  but  in  this  instance  the  power 


136 


THE  DOM  AND  DATE  PALMS. 


is  doubled.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  machine  consists  of  two 
pillars  of  wood  with  a horizontal  bar  across,  and  levers  formed 
by  a branch  of  a tree,  having  at  one  end  a heavy  weight  com- 
posed of  mud,  and  at  the  other  a vessel  of  leather  or  basket- 
work,  which  is  made  to  descend  into  the  river,  and  hoisted  by 
the  assistance  of  the  weight  to  the  level  of  the  land  above,  then 
poured  into  a trough  hollowed  out,  from  which  it  is  distributed 
in  channels  about  the  surface  of  the  land.  When  the  water  of 
the  river  is  low,  four  or  five  of  these  machines  are  required  to 
raise  the  water  to  the  necessary  level.  Few  occupations  can  be 
more  laborious  than  working  the  Shadoof;  it  is,  in  fact,  the 
heaviest  duty  of  the  Egyptian  peasant.  Its  use,  according  to 
Wilkinson,  is  as  ancient  as  the  time  of  Osirtesen  I.,  the  sup- 
posed cotemporary  of  Moses. 

The  engraving  also  displays  the  predominant  foliage  on  the 
banks  of  the  Nile.  The  date  palm  is  the  great  ornament  and 
blessing  of  Egypt ; not  only  is  its  fruit  a delicious  article  of  food 
and  the  principal  sustenance  of  the  lower  classes,  but  its  trunk 
is  used  for  building  purposes,  and  the  branches  serve  for  the 
manufacture  of  a variety  of  light  articles,  which  are  both  cheap 
and  serviceable  ; its  long  leaves  are  made  into  mats,  baskets, 
sacks,  &c. ; and  its  fibers  supply  material  for  the  ropes  used  in 
rigging  and  other  purposes.  Almost  every  thing  for  ordinary 
use  in  Egypt  is  made  of  the  clay  of  the  Nile,  or  the  palm-tree. 
The  Dom  or  Thebaid  palm  is  also  very  picturesque,  with  its 
singular  radiating  groups  of  fan-like  branches,  and  its  thick 
clusters  of  dark,  fig-like  fruit.  It  is  peculiar  to  Upper  Egypt, 
and  I have  seen  one  or  two  near  the  site  of  Ezion  Geber, 
at  the  head  of  the  (Elanitic  branch  of  the  Red  Sea.  The 
density  of  the  palm-groves  varies  with  the  richness  of  the  soil, 
and  some  places  are  noted  for  the  peculiar  excellence  of  the 
fruit.  At  one  of  these,  while  descending  the  river,  my  servant 
requested  permission  to  go  on  shore  and  purchase  a quantity 
to  take  to  Cairo.  On  returning  to  the  boat,  he  hung  up  in  my 
cabin  one  of  the  most  magnificent  clusters  ever  seen,  the  flavor 


With  the  Dom  and  Date  palm 


DANGER  OF  ROBBERS. 


137 


I 


of  which  was  very  far  superior  to  that  of  any  other  I had  ever 
tasted. 

We  drew  up  to  the  bank  this  evening,  in  a wild  spot  on  the 
western  side,  where  we  found  another  boat  moored,  and  a num- 
ber of  men  on  shore  by  a large  fire  : they  had  been  quarrying 
among  the  mountains  on  the  opposite  side,  but  considered  it 
unsafe  to  remain  there  at  night,  owing  to  a band  of  robbers 
who  were  said  to  occupy  the  country  thence  to  Iveneh,  and 
after  committing  depredations  both  by  land  and  water,  retreat 
arnonnr  the  fastnesses  of  the  Arabian  chain.  I had  heard  so 

O 

many  reports  from  the  boatmen  of  the  insecurity  of  particular 
places,  hitherto  without  any  confirmation,  that  I was  disposed 
to  treat  this  also  as  a fiction,  but  subsequent  information  at 
Keneh  attested  the  truth  of  these  reports.  It  was  currently  be- 
lieved that  the  governor  of  the  place  was  in  league  with  the 
brigands,  and  shared  the  plunder.  We  fired  two  or  three 
rounds  to  assure  any  who  might  cross  the  river  of  a warm  re- 
ception, and  for  the  first  time  on  the  river  felt  some  slight  ap- 
prehension of  an  attack.  The  men  were  all  armed  with 
formidable  sticks  about  six  feet  long,  and  a good  watch  was 
kept,  but  our  rest  was  undisturbed.  Subsequently  I was  told 
at  Keneh >that  they  never  attacked  a boat  with  the  Frank  flag, 
so  that  by  day  there  was  no  danger  to  be  apprehended.  This 
incident,  occurring  in  a country  so  safe  as  Egypt,  rather  sur- 
prised us,  but  it  was  regarded  as  an  exception,  and  the 
governor,  who  was  suspected  of  connivance,  has  since  been 
removed  from  his  post. 

Advancing  to  the  southward,  there  is  a very  perceptible  dif- 
ference in  the  appearance  of  the  people:  they  grow  darker  and 
heavier  in  look,  have  less  of  the  genuine  Arab,  and  appear  to 
be  a mixed  race,  though  perhaps  the  increasing  heat  of  the 
climate  alone  may  account  for  this  peculiarity. 

A voyage  up  the  Nile  without  the  sight  of  a crocodile  must 
appear  strangely  incomplete,  since  there  is  hardly  a book  of 
travel  that  does  not  abound  in  feats  of  marksmanship  at  the 

18 


138 


THE  CROCODILE. 


expense  of  the  sacred  animal.  This  is  owing  to  the  circum- 
stance, that  most  travelers  ascend  the  Nile  in  winter,  when  the 
river  is  low,  whereas,  it  being  with  me  the  season  of  the  inunda- 
tion, the  sand-banks  upon  which  the  monster  is  wont  to  disport 
himself  were  of  course  submerged.  The  following  particulars 


aie  derived  from  Messrs.  Bonomi  and  Sharpe.  “Crocodiles 
were  formerly  found  much  farther  down  the  river  than  at 
present,  as  the  hunting  them  is  represented  on  the  tombs  of 
Memphis ; at  the  present  day  they  are  not  met  with  lower  than 
about  Siout.  They  are  seen  in  groups  of  three  or  four,  basking 
upon  the  sunny  shoals,  and  take  to  the  river  when  startled  at  the 
approach  of  a boat.  There  is  an  old  story  connected  with  them 
so  curious,  that  we  might  well  have  been  justified  in  doubting 
its  truth,  but  for  the  attestations  of  numerous  travelers.  It  is, 
that  a small  bird,  called  from  its  cry  the  ‘ Sic-sac,’  hovers  about 
this  ungainly  monster,  and  warns  him  of  the  approach  of  danger 
by  dashing  to  and  fro  against  his  head,  and  uttering  its  shrill 
peculiar  note,  upon  which  the  crocodile  seeks  safety  under 
water.  This  was  lately  described  by  the  Hon.  Mr.  Curzon,  who 


THE  CROCODILE. 


139 


himself  witnessed  it.  It  is  very  rarely  that  they  are  known  to  at- 
tack any  one.  In  some  parts  of  Egypt  the  crocodile  was  wor- 
shiped as  a god ; in  others,  killed  and  eaten  as  a public  enemy. 
Juvenal,  who  held  some  military  post  in  the  province,  found 
much  amusement  in  satirizing  the  superstitions  of  Egypt.  But, 
adds  Mr.  Sharpe,  he  sometimes  takes  a poet’s  liberty,  and  when 
he  tells  us  that  man’s  was  the  only  flesh  that  they  ate  without 
sinning,  we  are  not  to  believe  him  to  the  letter.  He  gives  a 
lively  picture  of  a fight  which  he  saw  between  the  citizens  of 
the  two  towns  of  Ombos  and  Tentyra,,  who  had  a long-standing 
quarrel  about  their  gods.  At  Ombos  they  worshiped  the 
ci’ocodile  and  the  crocodile-headed  god  Savak,  while  at  Tentyra 
they  worshiped  the  goddess  Athor,  and  were  celebrated  for 
their  skill  in  catching  and  killing  crocodiles.  So,  taking  an 
advantage  of  a feast  or  holyday,  as  the  people  of  Modena  and 
Bologna  did  in  the  days  of  Tassoni,  they  marched  out  for  a 
fight.  The  men  of  Ombos  were  beaten  and  put  to  flight,  but 
one  of  them  stumbling  as  he  ran  away,  was  caught  and  torn  to 
pieces,  and,  as  Juvenal  adds,  eaten  by  the  men  of  Tentyra.” 
Crocodiles  were  also  taken  and  tamed  by  the  ancient  Egyp- 
tians, who  made  pets  of  them,  decorating  them  with  ear-rings 
and  bracelets,  and  pampering  them  with  roast  meat  and  wine. 
Amid  the  variety  of  animals  brought  from  the  subjugated 
provinces  to  Rome,  to  be  exhibited  and  destroyed  in  the  amphi- 
theater, was  also,  as  Strabo  informs  us,  the  crocodile,  thirty-six 
being  introduced  at  once  for  that  purpose  by  Augustus,  who 
were  killed  by  the  gladiators ; and  there  is  mention  also  of  an 
artificial  lake  at  Rome,  in  which  tame  ones  were  exhibited.  In 
the  British  Museum  is  a statue  of  a man  of  Dendera  performing 
feats  of  agility  on  a crocodile’s  back.  The  aperture  or  pupil  of 
the  eye  contracts  into  a narrow,  perpendicular  line,  and  the 
Arabs  relate  that  during  the  season  of  the  inundation,  when  the 
w'ater  of  the  Nile  is  considerably  darkened  by  the  quantity  of 
clay  held  in  solution,  it  is  totally  blind,  confirming  in  some 
measure  the  statement  of  Herodotus. 


140 


TEMPLE  OF  DENDERA. 


I had  expected  that  we  should  have  reached  Keneh  in  the 
morning,  but  on  awaking  found  the  boat  moored  at  the  nearest 
point  to  Dendera,  while  Salem  had  been  on  shore  to  procure 
donkeys,  so  that  after  breakfast  I had  nothing  to  do  but  land 
and  proceed  to  the  temple,  with  feelings  of  high  expectation 
and  curiosity,  this  being  the  first,  as  well  as,  by  common 
report,  the  most  beautiful  in  Egypt.  The  first  opening  view 
entirely  disappointed  me,  nor  could  I help  contrasting  the 
effect  of  Greek  and  Roman  ruins — of. the  temples  of  Athens, 
and  Girgenti,  and  Baalbec,  their  ranges  of  columns  and  half- 
ruined  porticoes,  rising  in  picturesque  disorder  against  the 
sky,  with  the  heavy,  square  walls  and  flat  roof  of  the  Egyp- 
tian temple,  cutting  into  a back-ground  of  yellow  sand.  Nor 
did  a nearer  approach  altogether  remove  this  unfavorable  im- 
pression ; the  facade,  though  vast,  seemed  heavy  and  half- 
barbarous,  and  inspired  none  of  that  mingled  awe  and  delight 
which  I had  anticipated.  On  entering,  however,  one  can  not 


fail  to  experience  the  peculiar  emotions  produced  by  Egyptian 
architecture,  a feeling  of  gloomy  sublimity  which  awes  rather 


THE  GREAT  PORTICO. 


141 


than  elevates,  and  which  to  the  ordinary  spectator  is  greatly 
heightened  by  the  sculptures  and  hieroglyphics  which  every- 
where cover  the  walls,  in  mute,  mysterious  meaning,  leading 
back  our  ideas  to  the  recondite  religious  ideas  which  they 
symbolize,  and  inspiring  a deep  and  almost  trembling  curiosity 
as  to  the  rites  which  were  celebrated  in  the  recesses  of 
these  soul-subduing  temples.  The  flat  roof  in  its  dusky  ob- 
scurity, and  the  grand  portal  of  simple  and  heavy  proportion, 
with  the  inner  chambers  receding  into  utter  darkness,  add  to 
the  effect  of  this  first  impression. 

The  columns  of  the  portico,  of  which  there  are  twenty-four, 
are  peculiar ; at  least  there  is  no  other  instance  of  them  on  this 
scale.  Capitals,  whose  forms  and  details  are  generally  borrowed 
from  the  lotus  and  palm,  and  other  plants  and  flowers,  consist 
here  of  the  head  of  the  goddess  Athor,  the  Venus  of  the  Egyp- 
tians, repeated  fourfold,  with  a superincumbent  addition  which 
gives  a heavy  and  shapeless  character  to  the  entire  column. 
Of  the  faces  scarcely  one  remains  entire,  which  very  much 
impairs  the  effect  doubtless  intended  to  be  produced  by  the 
universal  presence  of  the  face,  characterized,  as  Sir  F.  Henniker 
remarks,  by  a “bewitching  half-modesty,”  which  everywhere 
beamed  upon  the  intoxicated  worshiper  of  the  genial  power. 

The  great  portico,  comparatively  a very  modern  specimen  of 
Egyptian  art,  was  added  in  the  reign  of  Tiberius.  “On  its 
ceiling,”  observes  Mr.  Sharpe,  “ is  the  well-known  zodiac,  which 
our  antiquaries  once  thought  was  of  a great  antiquity,  but  the 
sign  of  the  Scales  in  the  zodiac  might  alone  have  taught  them 
that  it  could  not  be  older  than  the  reign  of  Augustus,  who  gave 
that  name  to  the  group  of  stars  which  before  formed  the  spread- 
ing claws  of  the  scorpion.  We  can  not  but  admire  the  zeal  of 
the  Egyptians  by  whom  this  work  was  then  finished.  They 
were  treated  as  slaves  by  their  Greek  fellow-countrymen ; they, 
the  fallen  descendants  of  the  conquering  kings  of  Thebes,  had 
every  third  year  their  houses  ransacked  in  search  of  arms : the 
Romans  only  drained  the  province  of  its  wealth,  and  the  temple 


112 


INTERIOR  OF  THE  TEMPLE. 


had  perhaps  never  been  heard  of  by  the  emperor,  who  could 
have  been  little  aware  that  the  most  lasting  monument  of  his 
reign  was  being  raised  in  the  distant  province  of  Egypt.  We 
can  not  but  admire  a people,  who,  denying  themselves  all  beyond 
the  coarsest  food  and  clothing  as  luxuries,  thought  a noble, 
massive  temple  for  the  worship  of  the  gods  one  of  the  first 
necessaries  of  life.” 

Briefly  to  describe  the  interior  arrangements  of  the  temple, 
we  quote  from  Wilkinson. 

To  the  great  portico  succeeds  a hall  of  six  columns  with  three 
rooms  on  either  side : then  a central  chamber,  communicating 
on  one  side  with  two  small  rooms,  and  on  the  other  with  a 
staircase.  This  is  followed  by  another  similar  chamber,  (with 
two  rooms  on  the  west  and  one  on  the  east  side,)  immediately 
before  the  isolated  sanctuary,  which  has  a passage  leading 
round  it,  and  communicating  with  three  rooms  on  either  side. 
The  total  length  of  the  temple  is  93  paces,  (or  about  220  feet,) 
by  41,  or  across  the  portico  50. 

Advancing  through  the  gloom  of  the  succeeding  hall,  we 
prepared  to  explore  these  smaller  chambers  and  passages.  Op- 
pressed by  a close,  foul  odor,  and  not  without  apprehension  of 
treading  on  snakes  and  scorpions  concealed  in  the  loose  dust, 
we  lighted  our  candles  and  began  cautiously  to  descend ; the 
bats,  startled  by  the  glare,  roused  from  their  obscure  crannies, 
and  madly  flitting  to  and  fro,  with  their  slight  curdling  cry  and 
the  whizzing  of  their  filthy  wings,  threatened  to  extinguish  our 
lights,  and  dash  their  obscene  bodies  full  into  our  averted 
faces, — an  idea  which  even  now  inspires  a shudder  of  disgust. 
Such  was  our  welcome  into  these  narrow,  dusky  passages,  once 
thronged  with  the  votaries  of  a voluptuous  and  debasing 
superstition.  Screening  as  well  as  might  be  our  eyes  from 
these  attacks,  we  traced  out  with  our  candles  the  elaborate 
sculptures  with  which  the  walls  are  everywhere  profusely 
covered  throughout  these  numerous  smaller  rooms,  all  minister- 
ing to  the  impression  designed  to  be  produced  upon  the  spectator. 


KENEH. 


143 


In  the  smaller  temple  of  Isis,  behind  the  great  temple,  and 
in  another,  at  some  distance  in  front  of  it,  are  lateral  columns 
bearing  the  distorted  figure  of  a Typhonian  monster,  which 
so  curiously  contrasts  with  the  head  of  Isis  in  the  portico  of 
the  principal  temple,  as  to  have  given  rise  to  the  impression, 
that  it  was  dedicated  to  the  evil  genius  of  the  Egyptians  ; but 
according  to  Wilkinson,  this  idea  is  erroneous,  the  building  in 
question  having  also  a relation  to  Athor. 

The  wood-cut  gives  a sufficient  general  idea  of  the  great 
temple.  On  the  architrave  is  a procession  to  the  goddess,  and 
the  flat  sides  of  the  building  are  relieved  by  enormous  sculp- 
tures, which  have,  however,  little  or  none  of  that  historical  or 
artistic  interest  attached  to  those  of  Thebes. 

We  crossed  by  the  ferry  over  the  river  to  Keneh,  having 
sent  on  the  boat  before.  We  had  some  difficulty  in  finding  it 
among  the  many  that  lined  the  bank,  for  this  is  the  most 
bustling  place  above  Cairo,  owing  to  its  being  the  starting- 
point  for  the  port  of  Cosseir  on  the  Red  Sea,  three  days  across 
the  desert,  and  more  especially  for  the  transport  of  the  nu- 
merous pilgrims  who  now  prefer  this  route  for  Mecca  to  the 
more  toilsome  one  by  way  of  Suez  and  Akaba.  The  supply  of 
their  wants  creates  much  activity  in  the  bazaars,  and  there  is 
reason  to  fear  that  there  are  few  of  the  pious  Hadji  who  do  not 
somewhat  increase  the  amount  of  their  transgressions  at  Keneh. 
Mr.  St.  John,  in  his  rapturous  desci'iption  of  the  temple  of 
Dendera,  dedicated  to  the  Egyptian  Venus,  says  that  the  power 
in  whose  honor  it  was  built,  still  protects  its  fane  from  utter 
destruction.  He  might  rather  have  said  that,  abandoning  her 
ancient  haunts  to  the  owls  and  bats,  she  has  simply  crossed  over 
the  river,  to  establish  her  peculiar  worship  with  an  absence  of 
all  mystery,  and  even  decency,  by  day  as  by  night,  among  the 
thousand  mud  hovels  of  the  modern  town.  “ It  is  difficult  to 
conjecture,”  says  a reverend  traveler,  “ what  may  have  given  to 
Keneh  a distinction  so  peculiar  and  discreditable.  Some  people 
may  think  that  its  being  a halting-place  for  the  pilgrims  is 


144 


KENEH. 


almost  enough  to  account  for  the  mystery,  since  ‘perils,’  as 
Bacon  remarks,  ‘ commonly  ask  to  be  paid  in  pleasures.’  ” 

We  found  that  our  pilgrim  boat  had  preceded  us,  and  recog- 
nized all  our  Mussulman  acquaintances  in  going  about  the  town, 
who  saluted  us  very  courteously.  They  seemed  quite  superior 
to  a large  proportion  of  their  brethren,  a set  of  dirty  fanatics, 
lounging  about  in  the  cafes,  whose  sallow  visages  were  length- 
ened by  the  compulsory  fast  of  the  Ramadan.  “ Sufficiently  dis- 
agreeable,” says  Hope,  “ as  it  might  appear  for  every  purpose  of 
salvation  when  it  falls  in  winter,  the  month  of  the  Ramadan  seems 
absolutely  invented  for  the  destruction  of  the  Moslemin  species 
when  the  procession  of  the  lunar  months  brings  it  round  to  the 
longest  and  hottest  days  in  summer.  It  is  then  that  the  Chris- 
tian, rising  from  a plenteous  meal,  if  he  has  common  prudence, 
avoids  all  intercourse  whatever  with  the  fasting  Turk,  whose 
devout  stomach,  void  of  all  but  sourness  and  bile,  grumbles 
loudly  over  each  chance-medley  of  the  sort  as  over  malice  pre- 
pense, rises  in  anger  at  the  supposed  insult,  and  vents  its  acri- 
mony in  bitter  invectives.” 

The  fair  companions  of  our  pilgrims,  whose  glances  from 
their  boat  had  sometimes  solaced  me  in  the  dreary  absence 
of  female  charms  upon  the  Nile,  were  lodged  in  the  upper 
story  of  a sort  of  Khan,  built  by  a wealthy  and  portly  native. 
Of  this  building,  the  lower  portion  had  a rude  portico  which 
opened  on  the  river,  and  where  a Frank  or  two  in  the  employ 
of  the  pasha  were  wont  to  smoke  away  the  tedious  hours  and 
look  out  for  the  passage  of  travelers,  whose  conversation  might 
solace  their  compulsory  banishment. 

Here  we  had  quite  a levee.  First  came  the  aforesaid  portly 
personage  of  dignified  presence,  who  acted  as  agent  to  the 
English  at  Cosseir,  and  fulfilled  in  some  sort  the  functions  of  a 
vice-consul.  He  was  very  complimentary,  and  begged  to  know 
if  there  was  any  thing  he  could  do  for  us.  We  brought  for- 
ward the  delinquencies  of  the  Reis  and  sailors,  with  whom  we 
had  been  of  late  abominably  harassed,  and  he,  in  the  hand- 


VISITORS  AT  KENEH. 


145 


sorriest  way,  offered  to  get  them  bastinadoed  for  us  on  our 
simple  parole,  and  without  the  slightest  inquiry,  but  this  oblig- 
ing proposal  we  thought  fit  to  renounce.  He  then  earnestly 
pressed  us  to  sup  with  him,  when  we  should  be  entertained 
with  certain  of  the  more  peculiar  and  recherche  exhibitions  of 
the  dancing-girls.  This  delicate  compliment  to  our  taste  and 
morals  we  also  declined,  intending  to  depart  at  sunset.  It  wras 
little  we  could  offer  him  for  all  these  favors.  Some  bottles  of 
porter  were  produced,  which,  however,  he  preferred  to  take 
away  with  him  rather  than  consume  upon  the  spot,  and  our 
notions  of  his  magnificent  liberality  received  a sad  shock,  when 
Salem  whispered  me  next  morning  that  he  had  sold  them  to 
the  Italian  doctors.  Scarcely  had  he  departed,  before  there 
came  bowing  in  a brisk  little  Frenchman,  about  sixty,  dry  as 
a mummy,  and  as  brown  withal,  dressed  in  a faded  military 
suit  of  crimson  and  gold  lace.  He  was,  we  found,  an  old 
colonel  of  Napoleon’s,  and  had  obtained  from  the  pasha  a 
grant  of  land,  where  he  had  established  a little  ‘imperium  in 
imperio’  of  his  own.  He  ran  on  with  all  the  lively  politeness 
of  his  nation,  told  us  that  he  had  been  lono;  enframed  in  seeking 
coal  for  Mehemet  Ali,  and  that  he  had  no  doubt  that  he  had,  at 
last,  made  the  inestimable  discovery,  the  search  after  which,  by 
the  way,  has  cost  already  half  the  revenue  of  a province.* 

* The  following  statement  is  making  the  round  of  the  newspapers,  and  if 
true  is  of  vast  importance  to  Egypt.  We  may  soon  hope  to  have  steamers 
on  the  Upper  Nile.  The  writer  was  acquainted  with  the  French  engineer 
alluded  to,  whom  he  met  both  on  the  Nile  and  on  his  return  to  Europe, 
when  he  spoke  very  confidently  of  his  researches  in  this  neighborhood. 
“ The  Journal  des  Debats  announces  in  a letter  from  Grand  Cairo,  the  dis- 
covery, by  a French  civil  engineer,  of  a stratum  of  coal  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Nile,  toward  Upper  Egypt.  Two  engineers,  an  Englishman  and  a French- 
man, were  employed  to  investigate  the  lands  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Nile  for 
the  discovery  of  coal  about  three  years  ago ; but  these  superficial  inquirers 
reported  that  there  was  none,  and  that,  moreover,  none  would  be  found  ! The 
French  engineer  first  mentioned,  more  diligent  and  more  skillful  than  his 
predecessors,  has  completely  overthrown  this  bold  assertion.  The  samples 
have  been  referred  to  a commission,  and  the  excavations  will  be  continued 
on  a large  scale.” 


19 


146 


VISITORS  AT  KENEH. 


“ But,”  added  the  little  man,  “ entre  nous,  it  is  not  for  the  pasha, 
but  for  you  English,  that  I am  doing  all  this,  for  it  is  agreed,  of 
course,  that  you  are  to  have  possession  of  the  country.”  To 
this  speech,  which  reminded  me  of  Talleyrand’s  celebrated  say- 
ing, that  speech  was  given  man  for  the  purpose  of  disguising 
his  thoughts,  1 did  not,  of  course,  feel  called  upon  to  say  any 
thing  in  reply.  The  Italian  doctors  in  the  service  of  the  pasha 
also  did  us  the  honor  of  a visit.  In  fact,  beside  the  desire  to 
lighten  their  captivity  by  conversing  with  a passing  stranger, 
they  have  an  eye  to  a little  private  practice,  and  generally 
add  a trifle  to  their  slender  pay  by  the  infirmities  of  European 
travelers,  or  the  peccadilloes  of  Mohammedan  pilgrims.  So 
much  for  Keneh,  the  most  dissolute  place  in  Egypt,  upon 
which,  after  a very  brief  stay,  we  were  happy  enough  to  turn 
our  backs. 


CHAPTER  Y. 


THEBES. — ITS  HISTORY. — LIBYAN  SUBURB. TOMBS  OF  THE  KINGS. MEDEENET 

HABOU. MEMNONIUM. LUXOR  AND  KARNAK. 

And  now,  full  of  glowing  anticipation,  which  in  travel,  as  in 
every  thing  else,  carries  with  it  half  the  charm  of  existence, 
we  spread  our  sails  to  a favoring  breeze,  and  started  on  the  last 
stage  of  our  cruise; — a few  hours,  and  Thebes  with  all  its  won- 
ders would  open  before  us.  Hardly  had  Iveneh  faded  from  our 
vision,  ere  we  opened  a view  of  the  site  of  ancient  Coptos,  and 
could  look  far  across  the  eastern  desert  in  the  direction  of  that 
old  and  well-beaten  commercial  route  to  Berenice  on  the  Red 
Sea,  by  which  the  riches  of  the  far  east  were  once  conveyed 
to  the  Nile,  and  thence  floated  down  to  Alexandria. 

Our  progress  by  no  means  kept  pace  with  my  impatience, 
the  breezes  became  light  and  languid,  and  sometimes  dying 
away,  left  us  becalmed  under  the  burning  noontide  heat.  Even 
the  stimulus  of  a promised  lamb  upon  the  evening  of  our  arrival 
could  hardly  induce  the  poor  fasting  sailors  (it  was  the  Rama- 
dan) to  resume  the  toilsome  process  of  tracking.  As  we  thus 
slowly  x advanced,  about  noon  we  began  to  open  the  immense 
plain  of  Thebes,  and  to  catch  glimpses  of  its  distant  ruins.  It 
was  wholly  unlike  what  I had  anticipated.  The  expanse  is  so 
vast,  miles  intervening  between  the  different  groups  of  ruin, 
that  a sense  of  void  and  emptiness  was  substituted  for  that 
lively  and  powerful  effect  I had  expected  would  be  produced 
by  the  first  coup  d’oeil  of  the  ruined  city.  There  were,  indeed, 
Karnak  and  Luxor  on  the  eastern  side,  the  Memnonium  and 


> 


148 


FIRST  VIEW  OF  THE  PLAIN. 


Medeenet  Habou  on  the  western,  with  the  hoary,  awful  Co- 
lossi, lonely  landmarks  in  the  midst  of  the  plain  ; but  the 
effect  of  these  objects  was  lost  by  distance.  The  only  grand 
feature  was  the  lofty,  barren  mountain  of  yeliow  sandstone 
overhanging  the  western  quarter  of  the  city,  with  the  dark 
orifices  of  its  countless  tombs,  and  which  seemed  to  reverberate 
the  ardent  rays  of  the  vertical  sun. 

If  the  eye  was  not  gratified  by  this  feeling  of  utter  and 
mournful  vacancy,  the  mind,  perhaps,  was  not  the  less  impressed. 
The  river,  once  gay  with  numerous  vessels,  poured  silently  down 
under  the  golden  heat  of  noon ; but  our  own  bark  alone  lazily 
cleft  its  waters.  No  buildings  appeared  on  the  river-side,  save 
on  the  western  bank  a solitary  hovel,  overhung  by  a stunted 
sycamore-tree,  our  destined  landing-place.  To  this  the  exhausted 
sailors  made  fast  the  boat,  put  out  a plank,  and  in  a few  moments 
were  fallen  fast  asleep  in  the  shadow  of  the  old  tree.  The 
plain  around  us  lay  in  breathless  silence  and  sultry  heat ; the 
mountains  colorless  as  if  calcined ; the  distant  temples  like 
the  blackened  wrecks  of  a conflagration;  the  palms,  smitten  by 
the  sun,  scarcely  rustled  their  languid  leaves  ; the  vegetation  was 
parched,  the  over-arching  sky  of  intense,  oppressive  brightness. 
For  a long  time  not  a sound  reached  us.  From  the  shadow 
of  the  cabin  I wratched  for  some  signs  of  the  inhabitants,  but  for 
a long  while  not  a being  appeared  in  sight,  till  suddenly  I saw, 
spurring  toward  the  landing-place,  a whole  tribe  of  Ciceroni, 
donkey-boys  and  vendors  of  curiosities,  who,  from  their  sepul- 
chral dwellings  in  the  distant  cliffs  of  Gornou,  had  descried  our 
boat,  and  were  all  eager  to  welcome  and  profit  by  the  earliest  trav- 
eler of  the  season.  The  appearance  of  these  gentry  was  highly 
picturesque ; their  faces  and  heavy  features  of  Coptic  mold — 
dark,  almost  to  blackness — were  set  off’  by  large  turbans  ; their 
long  brown  robes  relieved  by  a sort  of  plaid  shawl  of  gay  and 
varied  colors,  and  gracefully  wreathed  about  their  shoulders. 
There  was  a general  rush  into  the  boat,  and  testimonials  from 
preceding  travelers,  scraps  of  papyrus  and  mummy  cases, 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THEBES. 


149 


coins,  scarabaei,  &c.,  most  suspiciously  modern  in  appearance, 
were  thrust  into  our  hands.  All  the  trade  and  business  of 
modern  Thebes  was  at  once  before  us  ; it  had  moved  down  from 
the  tombs  of  Gornou  to  the  river’s  bank,  for  the  sole  object  of 
extracting  a few  piastres  from  the  purse  of  a solitary  traveler. 

Such  was  our  approach  to  this  great  city,  the  origin  of  which 
is  too  remote  to  be  within  the  ken  of  history.  The  older  monu- 
ments of  Theban  sculpture,  says  Mr.  Sharpe,  who,  it  should  be 
remembered,  is  one  of  the  most  cautious  of  Egyptian  inquirers, 
teach  us  the  names  of  numerous  kings  of  Thebes,  as  also  of 
Memphis,  and  of  the  Arab  or  Phenician  shepherds  ; and  though 
there  may  be  doubts  as  to  the  order  in  which  these  early 
dynasties  are  to  be  placed,  yet  they  leave  us  in  no  doubt  as  to 
the  high  antiquity  which  must  be  granted  to  this  earliest  of  na- 
tions. Greek  history  begins  with  the  Trojan  war.  Jewish 
history  begins  seven  hundred  years  earlier,  wTith  the  migration 
of  Abraham  from  Chaldsea ; but  even  when  this  father  of  the 
Hebrew  nation  led  his  herds  to  drink  of  the  waters  of  the  Nile, 
Egypt  was  already  a highly  civilized  country.  It  was  after  the  fall 
of  This,  or  Abydos,  that  Thebes  rose  to  be  the  capital  of  Upper 
Egypt ; and  it  was,  perhaps,  in  the  reign  of  the  second  or  third 
Theban  king  that  Abraham  entered  the  Delta.  Osirtesen  I., 
who  raised  the  obelisk  at  Heliopolis,  is  the  first  great  name  in 
the  history  of  Thebes;  he  was  the  builder  of  the  older  and 
smaller  part  of  the  temple  of  Ivarnak,  which  served  as  the 
nucleus  around  which  his  successors  grouped  other  and  more 
colossal  additions.  This  early  Theban  monarchy  was,  in  fact, 
a religious  community,  in  which  the  palace  was  a temple,  the 
people  worshipers  at  the  gate,  and  the  monarch  the  chief 
priest.  The  dynasty  of  Osirtesen  was  terminated  by  the  con- 
quest of  Upper  Egypt  by  the  Memphite  monarchs  who  erected 
the  pyramids. 

The  irruption  of  the  shepherd  kings  who  conquered  Mem- 
phis, extended  also  to  Thebes,  over  which  they  obtained  a 
temporary  mastery.  Amosis,  king  of  Thebes,  had  the  glory  of 


150 


THOTHMOSIS.  — AMUNOTHPH. 


driving  these  barbarian  invaders  from  the  Egyptian  soil ; and 
from  his  reign  we  may  date  the  rise  of  Upper  Egypt  to  its 
palmiest  state  of  political  supremacy  and  splendor.  The 
palaces,  temples,  and  tombs  of  Thebes  now  increased  in  size  and 
beauty  with  each  succeeding  monarch.  Amunothph,  Thothmo- 
sis,  and  especially  the  beautiful  Nitocris,  the  last  of  the  race  of 
the  Memphite  sovereigns,  by  whose  marriage  with  Thothmosis 
Upper  and  Lower  Egypt  were  united,  continued  to  make  im- 
portant additions  to  the  temple  at  Ivarnak.  Nitocris  also 
built  the  temple  or  palace,  now  called  Dayrel  Bahree,  at  the  foot 
of  the  Libyan  hills,  being  the  most  westerly  temple  in  Thebes, 
at  the  extremity  of  the  Assaseef  ( see  plan)  A straight  Dromos, 
or  avenue,  sixteen  hundred  feet  long,  between  a double  row  of 
sphynxes,  now  destroyed,  led  from  the  first  gateway  of  this 
temple  to  the  first  court ; a second  slope  of  three  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  further,  is  the  doorway  into  the  inner  court;  three 
hundred  further,  the  second  granite  doorway,  leading  into  the 
small  vaulted  rooms,  and  the  chambers  tunneled  into  the  moun- 
tain-side. Thothmosis  III.,  her  successor,  also  added  greatly 
to  the  magnificence  of  Karnak,  as  also  to  other  parts  of  Egypt. 
The  sculptures  in  the  tombs  display  a procession  of  seventeen 
nations,  comprising  Abyssinians,  Ethiopians,  Arabians,  and 
Asiatic  nations  bordering  on  the  Nile,  who  are  bringing  their 
costly  gifts  in  homage  to  this  king.  To  him  is  attributed 
the  formation  of  the  lake  of  Mceris.  The  Theban  monarchy 
had  now  reached  its  full  extent,  comprising  Upper  and  Lower 
Egypt  with  Ethiopia.  To  Thothmosis  succeeded  Amunothph 
II.,  in  whose  reign  some  place  the  Exodus  of  the  Israelites.  His 
grandson,  Amunothph  III.,  added  to  the  temple  of  Karnak,  and 
also  commenced  that  of  Luxor : it  is  his  statue,  now  called  the 
“ Vocal  Memnon,”  which  first  salutes  the  traveler,  as  he  ap- 
proaches Thebes,  like  a venerable  landmark  in  history.  The 
tomb  of  Amunothph  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  extensive.  Ra- 
ineses I.  soon  followed  Amunothph,  and  with  his  family  the  glory 
of  Thebes  arose  to  its  utmost  height.  His  son,  Oimenepthah, 


R AMESES  THE  GREAT. 


151 


! 


erected  the  stupendous  hall  of  Karnak,  the  walls  of  which  are 
covered  with  the  most  spirited  sculptures  in  Egypt,  represent- 
ing his  Asiatic  conquests.  He  storms  their  cities  among  the 
mountains,  and  leads  back  his  prisoners  in  triumph  to  the 
temple  of  Arnun  Ka.  The  river  Nile  is  known  in  this  sculp- 
ture by  the  crocodiles  swimming  about  in  it,  and  the  bridge 
over  it  is,  perhaps,  the  earliest  met  with  in  history.  The  tomb 
of  this  king,  which  we  shall  presently  describe,  is  the  most 
beautiful  in  Egypt,  the  paintings  being  almost  as  fresh  and 
vivid  as  at  the  day  of  their  execution. 

Amunmai  Rameses  II.,  the  son  of  the  last  king,  was  the 
monarch  under  whom  Upper  Egypt  rose  to  its  greatest  height 
in  arms,  in  arts,  and  in  wealth.  He  finished  the  palace  of  the 
Memnonium  or  Miamunei,  at  Abydos,  so  called  from  his  own 
name,  Miamun,  or  Amunmai.  He  also  finished  the  temple  of 
Osiris  in  the  same  city,  and  on  one  of  the  walls  he  carved  that 
list  of  his  forefathers,  now  in  the  British  Museum,  which  is 
known  by  the  name  of  the  tablet  of  Abydos,  a monument  which 
has  guided  us  safely  in  this  history  through  seventeen  reigns. 
He  added  to  Osirtesen’s  old  temple  at  Karnak,  and  finished 
Amunothph’s  temple  at  Luxor,  and  his  father’s  temple  at  Old 
Quorneh.  Thus  Thebes  had  already  four  large  fortified  tem- 
ples or  palaces,  the  three  just  mentioned  and  that  of  Queen 
Nitocris  at  Dahr  el  Bahree ; and  to  these  Rameses  II.  added  a 
new  palace,  which,  like  that  of  Abydos,  was  by  the  Greeks 
called  the  Memnonium.  In  the  first  court-yard  was  a colossal 
statue  of  himself,  larger  than  any  other  in  Egypt ; and  in  the 
second  yard  were  two  smaller  statues,  from  one  of  which  was 
taken  the  colossal  head  now  in  the  British  Museum.  The 
spacious  rooms,  with  the  columns  which  once  upheld  the  roofs, 
are  still  gazed  on  with  wonder  by  our  travelers,  and  were 
standing  in  all  their  glory  when  Hecatasus  traveled  in  Upper 
Egypt.  He  praises  the  inscription  over  the  library  door,  which 
called  the  books  the  medicine  of  the  mind.  Carved  and 
painted  on  the  walls  of  the  Memnonium  are  the  king’s  victories 


152 


CONQUESTS  OF  THE  EGYPTIANS. 


over  negroes  and  Ethiopians,  over  Arabs,  and  over  a people 
whose  single  lock  of  hair  on  a shorn  head  proves  that  they 
were  of  a Tartar  or  Scythian  race  ; and  the  artists,  not  content, 
like  Homer,  with  making  the  hero  a head  and  shoulders  taller 
than  the  soldiers  that  stand  around  him,  usually  paint  the  con- 
quering monarch  as  twenty  times  as  tall  as  the  pigmy  enemy, 
whom  he  is  destroying  at  a single  blow.  The  hieroglyphics 
which  were  read  to  Germanicus  by  one  of  the  priests  in  the 
reign  of  Tiberius,  recounted  the  Egyptian  victories  over  the 
Libyans  and  Ethiopians  of  Africa,  the  Medes,  Persians,  Bactri- 
ans,  Scythians,  Syrians,  and  Armenians  of  the  East ; and  the 
Cappadocians,  Bithynians,  and  Lycians  of  Asia  Minor ; together 
with  the  weight  of  gold  and  silver,  and  the  other  gifts,  which 
these  nations  sent  to  Thebes  as  their  yearly  tribute.  The 
march  of  Raineses  through  Palestine  is  not  mentioned  in  the  Old 
Testament ; but  this  may  have  arisen  from  his  keeping  close  to 
the  coast,  a part  of  the  country  not  then  held  by  the  Jews. 
The  Hebrew  nation  was  then  in  its  infancy,  ruled  over  by  its 
judges,  or,  perhaps,  at  the  time  living  in  servitude  under  the 
Midianites  or  Canaanites.  They  had  not  yet  gained  possession 
of  Jerusalem,  their  future  capital,  nor  conquered  the  Philistines 
and  Phoenicians  of  the  coast ; and  probably,  the  march  of  this 
Egyptian  army  weakened  the  power  of  these  enemies  of  the 
Jews,  and  helped  the  latter  to  the  conquest  of  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan. Rameses  left  monuments  behind  him  in  the  countries 


RAMESES  IIL 


153 


which  he  conquered,  and  one  of  these  still  remains  in  Syria 
near  Beyrout,  side  by  side  with  a similar  memorial  of  a Persian 
or  Assyrian  conqueror.  On  his  return  home  from  Thrace  along 
the  northern  shores  of  the  Black  Sea,  he  left  a colony  of  sol- 
diers on  the  Phasis  at  Colchis,  an  action  which  Herodotus  gives 
to  Sesostris ; and  Rameses  II.  was  succeeded  by  three  kings  of 
lesser  note,  after  whom  came  Rameses  III.,  who  built  the  palace 
temple  of  Medeenet  Habou,  which  we  shall  presently  describe. 
He  too  was  a great  conqueror,  as  the  sculptures  abundantly 
testify.  With  him  terminates  the  glory  of  this  old  race  of 
Coptic  kings.  Under  his  successors  Thebes  gradually  sunk; 
its  kings  lost  possession  of  Lower  Egypt,  and  were  even  vassals 
of  the  distant  kings  of  Bubastis  and  Tanis  in  the  Delta.  The 
power  of  Thebes  ends  in  obscurity  ; and  history  is  unable  to  fix 
the  date  when  it  ceased  to  be  the  capital  of  Egypt ; but  we 
must  suppose,  that  its  fall  and  the  want  of  records  were  caused 
and  accompanied  by  civil  war. 

During  the  past  centuries  of  Theban  greatness,  the  country 
was  little  known  to  either  Jews  or  Greeks,  the  two  people  in 
whose  writings  we  naturally  hope  to  find  information.  In  the 
Hebrew  Scriptures  Upper  Egypt  is  scarcely  mentioned,  while 
by  the  Greeks  it  was  only  spoken  of  with  ignorant  wonder. 
In  the  Iliad,  Thebes  is  called  the  richest  city  in  the  world, 
having  a hundred  gates,  through  each  of  which  two  hundred 
warriors  issued  in  their  war-chariots  to  battle  and  to  victory. 
But  it  was  to  Homer  wholly  in  the  land  of  fable,  far  beyond 
the  reach  of  knowledge  ; it  was  called  the  birth-place  of  some 
of  the  Greek  gods;  and  it  was  with  the  righteous  Ethiopians, 
or  people  of  the  Thebaid,  that  Jupiter  and  his  family  were 
thought  to  be  spending  their  twelve  days’  holydays,  when  the 
Greeks,  fighting  before  the  walls  of  Troy,  thought  their  prayers 
were  unheard.  In  the  Odyssey  we  are  told,  that  Neptune 
visited  the  same  country,  and  dined  with  these  Ethiopians, 
while  the  other  gods  were  absent  in  Jupiter’s  palace  on  Mount 
Olympus ; but  nothing  is  mentioned  that  shows  that  the  poet 

20 


154 


SHISHANK.  — BOCCHORIS. 


knew  any  thing  of  the  places  which  he  writes  about.  Hesioa 
also,  when  speaking  of  Memnon,  king  of  Ethiopia,  by  whom  he 
meant  either  Amunothph  III.  of  the  musical  statue,  or  Miamun 
Rameses  II.,  calls  him  the  son  of  the  goddess  Aurora.  Every 
thing  in  Egypt  was  seen  by  the  Greeks  enlarged  through 
the  mists  of  distance,  and  colored  by  the  poetic  fancy  of 
ignorance. 

As  Thebes  declined,  Lower  Egypt  had  been  gradually  in- 
creasing in  power,  and  the  first  of  its  monarchs  who  sat  on  the 
throne  of  Rameses  was  Shishank  of  Bubastis,  the  Shishak  of 
the  Bible,  and  the  cotemporary  of  Solomon,  against  whose  son 
Rehoboam  he  marched  with  a large  army,  and  brought  to 
Thebes  the  golden  shields  with  which  Solomon  had  adorned 
the  temple  at  Jerusalem.  This  exploit,  as  we  shall  see,  is 
carved  on  the  walls  of  Karnak.  After  various  intestine  con- 
vulsions, the  Ethiopians,  formerly  tributaries  of  Thebes,  now 
became  its  conquerors.  The  people  had,  indeed,  been  ruled 
by  Copts,  and  their  language  and  religion  was  the  same  as  those 
of  Thebes.  Bocchoris  the  Wise,  of  Sais,  long  remembered  for  his 
mild  and  merciful  laws,  was  put  to  death,  and  by  Sabacothph, 
the  Ethiopian,  who  reigned  eight  years  in  Egypt.  Assyria  was 
now  become  a powerful  monarchy,  and  pressed  Samaria  and 
Judaea,  who  looked  in  vain  for  succor  to  Egypt.  Tirhakah, 
the  third  of  the  Ethiopian  kings,  reigned  in  Egypt  while  Heze- 
kiah  reigned  in  Judaea,  Sennacherib  in  Assyria,  and  Mardoch 
Empadus  in  Babylon ; and  here,  with  the  recorded  Babylonian 
eclipses,  begins  a fixed  point  in  chronology,  from  which  the 
dates  of  preceding  events  must  be  calculated. 

Under  the  last  of  the  Ethiopian  kings,  who  was  succeeded  by 
Egyptians,  the  seat  of  government  was  transferred  to  Sais  in  the 
Delta.  Egypt  was  now  no  longer  the  same,  the  valor  of  the 
Coptic  warriors  was  sunk,  and  Greek  mercenaries  were  employed 
by  Necho  Hophra  and  the  other  monarchs  of  Lower  Egypt. 
Henceforth,  Thebes  entirely  lost  its  political  importance,  but  it 
still  retained  all  the  original  grandeur  of  its  colossal  monuments. 


1 


INVASION  OF  CAMBYSES.  155 

The  reign  of  these  kings  of  Lower  Egypt  was  soon  brought 
to  a close  by  the  invasion  of  Cambyses.  After  his  conquest 
of  Memphis,  he  advanced  to  the  conquest  of  Ethiopia,  but 
more  like  a madman  than  a general.  On  reaching  Thebes  he 
detached  a body  of  50,000  men  to  reduce  first  the  great  oasis, 
and  next  the  oasis  of  Ammon.  The  first  they  reached,  but  no 
tidings  were  ever  afterward  heard  of  them, — they  perished 
amid  the  sands  of  the  Libyan  desert.  The  Persian  monarch 
had  been  compelled  to  turn  back  from  his  progress  toward 
Ethiopia  by  famine,  and  on  his  reaching  Thebes,  he  wreaked 
his  disappointment  upon  the  devoted  city.  He  overthrew  the 
massive  walls  of  the  temples,  set  fire  to  what  would  burn, 
hurled  prostrate  the  statues  of  the  great  Coptic  kings,  broke 
open  and  plundered  their  tombs,  and  carried  off  an  enormous 
booty. 

This  was  the  first  great  blow  received  by  Thebes,  but  she 
gradually  arose  to  much  of  her  original  splendor,  though  her 
political  importance  was  gone.  The  conquest  of  Egypt  by  the 
Ptolemies  entirely  withdrew  the  commerce  which  formerly  cen- 
tered in  the  Thebaid,  by  means  of  the  routes  across  the  desert 
to  the  Nile,  to  the  more  favored  emporium  of  Alexandria. 

Loose  and  high-colored  accounts  of  the  wealth  of  Thebes 
had  reached  Greece  even  before  the  time  of  Homer ; and  again 
through  Herodotus  and  other  travelers  in  the  Delta ; but 
nothing  was  certainly  known  of  it  till  it  was  visited  by  Hecatseus 
of  Abdera.  Hecataeus  had  been  an  officer  in  the  army  of 
Alexander,  and  he  afterward  joined  himself  to  Ptolemy ; but 
he  is  best  known  as  an  author.  Among  other  works,  he  wrote 
a history  of  the  Hyperborean  or  northern  nations,  and  also  a 
history,  or  rather  a description,  of  Egypt,  part  of  which  we  now 
read  in  the  pages  of  Diodorus  Siculus.  He  was  perhaps  the 
only  mortal  who,  traveling  to  the  most  remote  points  both  of 
the  north  and  of  the  south,  ever  saw  and  compared  the  temple 
of  the  Sun  in  Thebes  with  the  druidical  temple  of  the  same  god 
at  Stonehenge  in  Britain,  before  ruin  had  overthrown  those 


156 


VISIT  OF  HECATyEUS. 


vast  buildings.  When  he  traveled  in  Upper  Egypt,  Thebes, 
though  still  a populous  city,  was  more  thought  of  by  the  anti- 
quary than  by  the  statesman.  Its  wealth,  however,  was  still 
great ; and  when,  under  the  just  government  of  Ptolemy,  it 
was  no  longer  necessary  for  the  priests  to  hide  their  treasures, 
it  was  found  that  the  temples  still  held  the  very  large  sum  of 
three  hundred  talents  of  gold  and  two  thousand  three  hundred 
talents  of  silver,  or  above  one  million  sterling,  which  had 
escaped  the  plundering  hands  of  the  Persian  satraps. 

The  Memnonium,  the  great  palace  of  Raineses  II.,  was  then 
standing;  and  though  it  had  been  plundered  by  the  Persians, 
the  building  itself  was  unhurt.  Its  massive  walls  had  scarcely 
felt  the  wear  of  the  centuries  which  had  rolled  over  them. 
Hecateeus  measured  its  rooms,  its  court-yards,  and  its  avenue 
of  sphynxes ; and  by  his  measurements  we  can  now  distinguish 
its  ruins  from  those  of  the  other  palaces  of  Thebes.  One  of 
its  rooms,  perhaps  after  the  days  of  its  builder,  had  been  fitted 
up  for  a library,  and  held  the  histories  and  records  of  the 
priests  ; but  the  golden  zodiac  or  circle,  on  which  were  en- 
graved the  days  of  the  year,  with  the  stars  which  were  seen  to 
rise  at  sunrise  and  set  at  sunset,  by  which  each  day  was 
known,  had  been  taken  away  by  Cambyses.  Hecateeus  also 
saw  the  three  other  palace-temples  of  Thebes,  which  we  now 
call  by  the  names  of  the  villages  in  which  they  stand,  namely, 
of  Luxor,  of  Karnak,  and  of  Medeenet  Habou. 

The  Theban  priests  showed  Hecataeus  the  large  wooden 
mummy-cases  of  their  predecessors,  standing  upright  round  the 
walls  of  the  temple,  to  the  number  of  three  hundred  and  forty- 
five  ; and,  when  the  Greek  traveler  boasted  that  he  was  the 
sixteenth  in  descent  from  Jupiter,  they  told  him  that  those  three 
hundred  and  forty-five  priests  had  ruled  Thebes  in  succession 
from  father  and  son,  each  a mortal  the  son  of  a mortal,  and 
that  it  was  that  number  of  generations  since  the  gods  Osiris  and 
Ilorus  had  reigned  in  Egypt.  Nations,  like  families,  have 
usually  been  fond  of  claiming  to  be  descended  from  a long  line 


THE  PTOLEMIES. 


157 


of  ancestors,  but  none  have  ever  had  a better  right  to  that  boast 
than  the  Egyptians.  The  Theban  priest  was  speaking  to  Ileca- 
taeus  in  about  the  fortieth  reign  of  this  history,  while  his  Greek 
visitor  only  pretended  to  be  the  sixteenth  in  descent  from  the 
gods.  The  Theban  could  then  name  with  certainty  more 
sovereigns  of  his  country  in  the  order  of  succession  than  we 
can  kings  of  England.  He  was  as  far  removed  from  the  ob- 
scurity  of  antiquity  as  we  English  are  in  the  nineteenth  century. 
It  is  true  that  he  boasted  that  the  oldest  of  his  mummies  was 
ten  times  older  than  it  is  likely  to  have  been  ; but  if  he  had 
confined  himself  to  what  we  think  the  truth,  his  boast  would 
still  have  been  very  remarkable,  and  he  could  probably  have 
pointed  to  records  standing  around  him  which  had  existed  some 
centuries  before  the  time  of  Abraham. 

The  Ptolemies  added  to  the  magnificence  of  Thebes  as  well 
as  of  all  parts  of  Egypt.  They  made  various  additions  to 
the  temples,  and  the  most  magnificent  Pylon  or  gateway  at 
Karnak  owes  its  origin  to  Ptolemy.  We  may  notice  here  that 
architecture  was  somewhat  modified  by  Greek  taste — the 
columns  of  the  temple  being  more  elongated  and  elegant,  the 
capitals  more  varied,  and  the  general  effect  lighter  and  more 
graceful.  Sculpture  had  greatly  degenerated.  The  reign  of 
Ptolemy  Lathyrus  is  remarkable  for  the  rebellion  of  Thebes,  and 
for  the  final  consummation  of  her  ruin.  It  had  long  been  falling 
in  trade  and  wealth,  and  had  lost  its  superiority  in  arms;  but  its 
temples,  like  so  many  citadels,  its  obelisks,  its  colossal  statues, 
and  the  tombs  of  its  great  kings,  yet  remained,  and  with  them 
the  memory  of  its  bygone  glory.  The  Thebans  had  borne  for 
two  centuries  and  a half,  under  their  Greek  masters,  political 
servitude,  heavy  taxes,  habitual  arrogance,  and  occasional 
cruelty.  Under  the  government  of  Cleopatra  Cocce  the  measure 
of  their  injuries  overflowed,  and  taking  advantage  of  the 
revolutions  in  Alexandria,  a large  part  of  Upper  Egypt  rose  in 
rebellion.  When  Lathyrus  returned  to  Egypt,  Thebes  re- 
fused her  obedience.  For  three  years  the  brave  Copts,  in- 


158 


FINAL  RUIN  OF  THEBES. 


trenched  within  their  temples,  every  one  of  which  was  a castle, 
withstood  his  armies ; but  the  bows,  the  hatchets,  and  the 
chariots  could  do  little  against  Greek  arms  ; while  the  over- 
throw of  the  massive  temple  walls  and  the  utter  ruin  of  the 
city  prove  how  slowly  they  yielded  to  greater  skill  and  numbers, 
and  mark  the  conqueror’s  distrust,  lest  the  tefnples  should  again 
be  so  made  use  of.  Perhaps  the  only  time  before  Thebes  had 
been  stormed  after  a long  siege,  was  when  it  first  fell  under  the 
Persians,  and  the  ruin  which  marked  the  footsteps  of  Cambyses 
had  never  been  wholly  repaired.  But  the  wanton  cruelty  of 
the  foreigners  did  little  mischief  when  compared  with  the 
unpitying  and  unforgiving  distrust  of  the  native  conquerors. 
The  temples  of  Tentyra,  Apollinopolis,  Latopolis,  and  Philae 
show  that  the  massive  Egyptian  buildings  can,  when  let  alone, 
withstand  the  wear  of  time  for  thousands  of  years  ; but  the  harder 
hand  of  man  works  much  faster,  and  the  wide  acres  of  Theban 
ruins  prove  alike  the  greatness  of  the  city  and  the  force  with 
which  it  was  overthrown  : and  this  is  the  last  time  the  Egyptian 
Thebes  is  met  with  in  the  pages  of  history.  The  habitations  of 
the  city  were  swept  away,  but  the  temples,  miles  apart,  form 
the  nuclei  of  different  scattered  hamlets,  whose  inhabitants  till 
the  plain,  once  covered  with  the  living  millions  of  the  ancient 
city.  The  Christians  under  the  Greek  emperors  raised  their 
puny  structures  amid  the  colossal  courts  of  Medeenet 
Habou,  but  fled  on  the  conquest  of  the  Arabs,  whose  de- 
generate successors  make  their  habitation  amid  the  tombs  of 
Gornou,  and  gain  a precarious  subsistence  by  rifling  their  con- 
tents, or  dragging  from  their  repositories  the  mummied  remains 
of  their  tenants. 

But  the  ruined  temples  still  stand  to  call  forth  the  wonder  of 
the  traveler.  They  have  seen  the  whole  portion  of  time  of 
which  history  keeps  the  reckoning  roll  before  them  ; they  have 
seen  kingdoms  and  nations  rise  and  fall — the  Babylonians,  the 
Jews,  the  Persians,  the  Greeks,  and  the  Romans.  They  have 
seen  the  childhood  of  all  that  we  call  ancient,  and  they  still 


WORK  OF  SIR  GARDNER  WILKINSON. 


159 


seem  likely  to  stand,  to  tell  their  tale  to  those  who  will  here- 
after call  us  the  ancients. 

It  is  well  to  remind  the  reader  that  my  promise  was  but  to 
“ glance”  at  Thebes,  to  give  a general  impression  of  the  site, 
and  a few  views  of  the  most  remarkable  monuments,  in  fact, 
rather  to  excite  than  satisfy  an  interest  in  the  subject.  To 
describe  the  buildings  in  detail  would  be  an  endless  task  ; such 
descriptions,  besides,  would  be  equally  uninteresting  and  unin- 
telligible without  a far  more  numerous  collection  of  views  than 
can  be  given  here  ; and  still  the  tombs,  perhaps  the  most  won- 
derful objects,  and  the  most  interesting  in  a historical  and  anti- 
quarian point  of  view,  must  ever  remain  without  adequate  illus- 
tration. In  fact,  nothing  but  a most  elaborate  series  of  copies  of 
the  sculptures  and  paintings  they  contain,  which  would  alone  fill 
volumes,  could  give  to  the  reader  any  idea  of  them  ; and  to 
describe  them  in  detail  would  be  no  less  than  to  describe  the 
religion,  manners,  and  customs  of  ancient  Egypt.  The  results 
of  long  and  persevering  study  of  these  authentic  memorials  of 
the  past,  assisted  by  learning  and  genius,  may  be  seen  in  the 
work  of  Sir  Gardner  Wilkinson  on  this  subject ; there  a vast 
number  of  details,  which  the  traveler  sees  but  in  succession, 
without  any  clew  to  their  connection,  have  been  reduced  to 
order,  and  illustrated  by  comparison  with  history,  which  in  its 
turn  has  received  a new  light ; and  thus,  in  these  invaluable 
volumes,  all  the  splendor  of  ancient  Egypt  and  of  Thebes  is 
brought  up  most  vividly  before  us, — the  pride,  pomp,  and  cir- 
cumstance of  the  old  warrior  kings,  the  splendid  ceremonial  of 
the  worship  that  once  filled  these  vacant  temples,  and  the  luxury 
of  the  private  dwellings,  of  which  not  a trace  now  remains. 
Through  his  erudite  researches,  the  strange  gods  and  goddesses 
of  the  Egyptian  mythology,  which  everywhere  meet  our  gaze  on 
the  walls  of  these  temples,  are  no  longer  regai’ded  merely  as  ob- 
jects of  the  idolatry  of  the  vulgar,  but  assume  a symbolical  mean- 
ing, as  embodied  attributes  of  the  universal  cause  ; as  they  did 


1G0 


PROGRESS  OF  DISCOVERY. 


at  least  to  the  minds  of  that  learned  priesthood,  with  whom  the 
secrets  of  science,  as  well  as  of  religion,  were  deposited.  Such  is 
the  best  description  of  Thebes,  one  which  deduces  its  past  mag- 
nificence from  the  existing  wonders  of  its  tombs  and  temples. 
Mine  is  but  the  humble  effort  of  a tourist,  to  walk  over  the  field 
which  the  learning  and  research  of  others  has  rendered  so 
fruitful,  and  give  a few  impressions,  and  those  necessarily 
imperfect  ones,  of  its  actual  appearance  to  the  eye. 

It  may  be  as  well  here  to  explain,  what  it  is  that  has  enabled 
the  student  of  Egyptian  antiquities  to  make  such  surprising 
progress  within  the  course  of  the  last  quarter  of  a century. 
The  sculptures  and  paintings  on  the  monument  were  of  course 
equally  palpable  before  that  time ; but  the  key  to  their  explana- 
tion, that  is,  the  power  of  deciphering  the  hieroglyphic  inscrip- 
tions, everywhere  accompanying  them,  was  wanting.  The 
first  impulse  to  the  study  was  given  by  the  expedition  of  Na- 
poleon, and  the  publications  of  the  French  savans,  which 
awakened  the  attention  of  the  learned,  and  many  shrewd,  and 
many  absurd  guesses  were  made  as  to  the  import  of  these  mys- 
terious signs.  By  little  and  little,  a nearer  approximation  was 
made  to  the  truth,  the  discovery  of  which  was  mainly  owing  to 
the  finding  of  the  Rosetta  stone,  now  in  the  British  Museum. 
This  fragment,  as  most  of  our  readers  are  aware,  contains  a 
broken  trilingual'  inscription,  in  hieroglyphic  or  figurative — De- 
motic or  written  character,  and  ordinary  Greek  characters.  The 
Greek  inscription  being  proved  to  be  a translation,  attention 
was  next  directed  with  intense  earnestness  to  the  second  or 
Demotic  one.  The  first  discovery  was  of  the  groups  of  signs 
denoting  proper  names,  such  as  Ptolemy,  Alexander,  &c.,  and 
that  these  signs  were  also  letters.  The  corresponding  symbols 
in  the  first  or  hieroglyphic  inscription  were  now  the  next 
objects  of  attention  ; and  Dr.  Young,  in  1819,  at  length  made 
known  his  identification  of  the  names  of  “ Ptolemy”  and 
“ Berenice,”  and  of  the  nature  of  several  of  the  symbolic  letters, 
thus  giving  the  first  clew  to  subsequent  discovery.  But  it  was 


1 ffillAbd  cl-  Uuoornoh  (Ooriwu,) 

2 Dayr  el  - Modocnch.  f small  Ttole/nau:  Temple y 

3 G-roui  Tomb  of  the-  Assaseef. 

4 Quoorneh  Mur  nice. 


Jih\lcet Habou 


THE  ROSETTA  STONE. 


161 


not  till  1822  that  the  discovery  was  pushed  further  by  Champol- 
lion  le  Jeune,  who  read  at  Paris  a memoir  demonstrating  that 
“the  ancient  Egyptians  had  made  use  of  pure  hieroglyphic 
signs,  that  is,  of  characters  representing  the  image  of  material 
objects,  to  represent  simply  the  sounds  of  the  names  of  Greek 
and  Roman  sovereigns,  inscribed  upon  the  monuments,”  which 
method  he  inferred  to  have  been  also  adopted  at  the  most  early 
period.  In  1824,  he  published  his  “Statement  of  the  Hiero- 
glyphic System  of  the  Ancient  Egyptians,”  in  which  he 
showed  that,  even  in  the  most  ancient  times,  the  greater  portion 
of  these  signs  or  figures  of  material  objects  were  phonetic — re- 
ducible into  a regular  alphabet;  and  that  the  hieroglyphic 
mode  of  writing  is  complex,  being  at  once  figurative,  i.  e.  de- 
scriptive by  representations  of  objects  discussed,  symbolical, 
and  phonetic,  or  descriptive  by  signs  intended  to  represent 
sounds. 

Furnished  with  the  key  to  their  long-hidden  mysteries,  sev- 
eral Egyptian  travelers  undertook  the  examination  of  the 
monuments  of  Egypt.  The  French  government  sent  out 
Champollion,  and  the  Tuscan,  Rosellini,  who  agreed  to  labor 
in  concert.  They  pursued  their  explorations  as  far  as  Nubia, 
and  it  was  agreed  that  they  should  publish  together  the  results 
of  their  journey.  Champollion,  however,  died  before  his  por- 
tion was  concluded,  and  left  to  his  colleague  the  task  of  intro- 
ducing their  labors  to  the  world,  which  has  since  been  done  in 
a magnificent  publication.  Meanwhile  the  English  antiquaries 
had  not  been  idle  ; Sir  Gardner  Wilkinson  having  issued  the 
work  to  which  we  have  already  alluded,  and  Messrs.  Burton  and 
Birch  have  also  labored  in  the  field  of  palaeography.  Prussia 
also  sent  out  the  young  but  erudite  Lepsius,  to  prosecute  still 
further  researches,  the  full  results  of  which  have  not  yet  been 
brought  before  the  public.  So  mighty  have  been  the  conse- 
quences from  the  discovery  of  one  single  fragment  of  stone ! 

The  annexed  map  (from  an  original  survey  by  a friend)  will 
serve  to  explain  the  details  that  follow.  It  will  be  there  seen, 

21 


162  THE  TOMBS  OF  THE  KINGS. 

that  the  most  colossal  of  all  the  ruins,  that  of  Karnak,  is  on  the 
eastern  bank,  together  with  Luxor;  yet  though  the  ruins  on 
the  western  bank  are  inferior  in  scale,  this  deficiency  is  more 
than  made  up  in  interest  by  the  tombs,  and  the  general  im- 
pressiveness of  the  scene  of  desolation  around  them.  The 
goddess  Athor,  the  Venus  of  the  Egyptians,  whose  magnificent 
temple  at  Dendera  we  have  so  lately  noticed,  presided  over  the 
western  quarter  of  Thebes,  and  from  her  this  suburb  derived  its 
name  of  Pathyris,  belonging  to  Athor.  She  was  figuratively 
represented  in  the  paintings  as  a spotted  cow,  living  behind  the 
western  mountain  of  Thebes,  from  which,  figured  in  this  shape, 
she  is  seen  rising  as  the  planet  Venus.  It  was  into  her  arms  that 
the  sun,  as  he  sunk  behind  the  mountain,  was  poetically  supposed 
to  be  received,  and  in  this  character  answered  also  to  Night.* 

I arranged  to  visit  the  tombs  of  the  kings  the  following  day, 
and  spent  the  evening  in  riding  about  the  environs  of  the 
landing.  The  first  object  of  interest  that  meets  the  eye,  is 
the  small  temple  of  old  Koorneh,  of  the  time  of  Raineses  II., 
of  which  I have  presented  no  illustration,  as,  though  interest- 
ing to  the  antiquary,  it  is  not  among  the  most  remarkable  or 
colossal  of  the  monuments  of  Thebes. 

The  craggy  range  of  the  western  mountains  which  overhang 
the  desolate  city  were  ruddy  with  the  reflected  hues  of  a glori- 
ous dawn ; but  the  river  and  plain  were  still  cool  and  shadowy, 
when  I stepped  from  our  boat  on  shore,  and  found  our  guide 
and  donkeys  waiting  for  us  under  the  old  sycamore.  We 
mounted,  and  hastened  forward  at  a gallop ; but,  leaving  the 
green  border  of  the  Nile,  were  soon  brought  up  by  some  yawn- 
ing mummy-holes  and  obscure  pits,  often  of  great  depth,  with 
which  the  whole  plain  is  covered,  and  picked  our  way  through 
this  intricate  and  dreary  chaos  of  sepulchral  excavations  with 
greater  caution.  At  length  we  had  passed  them,  and  entered 
upon  a valley  running  up  into  the  heart  of  the  mountains,  quite 
in  the  rear  of  Thebes,  and  remote  from  any  connection  with  its 

* Wilkinson. 


BELZONI  TOMB. 


163 


site.  The  farther  we  penetrated  into  this  dreary  ravine,  the 
more  desolate  became  its  features ; arid  rocks,  whitening  in 
the  sun,  overhung  its  narrow,  sandy  bed ; there  was  no  ves- 
tige of  vegetable  life ; and  through  these  barren  and  melan- 
choly portals  we  seemed  to  be  penetrating  to  the  very  grave  of 
nature.  After  tracking  the  defile  for  half  an  hour,  the  bed  of 
the  ravine,  which  had  gradually  narrowed,  divided  into  several 
obscure  cliffs,  which  penetrated  into  the  bowels  of  the  sand- 
stone mountain,  and  a range  of  gloomy,  perpendicular  precipices 
forbade  all  further  progress.  At  the  foot  of  this  melancholy 
barrier,  we  descried  a few  dark  apertures,  like  entrances  to 
subterranean  caverns,  singularly  gloomy  and  mysterious  in 
effect ; in  the  rocky  walls  of  the  lateral  fissures  we  gradually 
made  out  others,  and  these  were  entrances  of  those  wonderful 
tombs  which  the  kings  of  mighty  Thebes  made  for  themselves 
in  “ desolate  places,”  many  of  which  still  remain  hidden  from 
research  among  the  deep  chasms  of  this  funereal  region. 

The  sandy  valley,  with  the  reflection  from  the  arid  cliffs,  began 
to  grow  glaring  and  oppressive  as  we  stood  at  the  head  of  the 
flight  of  steps  which  descends  steeply  into  the  principal  tomb. 
It  is  not  without  awe  that  we  penetrate  by  this  ruined  staircase 
into  the  abode  of  death,  the  shadows  fall  deeper  as  we  descend, 
and  the  faint  blue  light  from  above  just  enables  us  to  make 
out  the  sculptures  on  the  dusky  walls  which  line  the  passage — 
hieroglyphics  relating  to  the  owner  of  the  tomb,  and  figures 
emblematical  of  the  passage  into  the  realms  of  futurity.  Here 
the  guides  lighted  their  gandles,  and  we  advanced  into  the  first 
and  most  celebrated  “ Hall  of  Beauty.”  At  the  foot  of  this 
passage  was  formerly  a wall,  and  on  the  other  side  the  masonry 
built  up  to  conceal  the  entrance  to  the  wonders  within  ; but 
Belzoni,  suspecting  from  different  indications  that  more  was  be- 
yond, forced  in  the  wall  with  the  trunk  of  a palm,  and  burst 
into  the  splendid  chambers  so  artfully  concealed.  His  emotions 
may  well  be  envied,  as  he  first  viewed  the  many  figures,  in  all 
the  freshness  of  yesterday’s  coloring,  with  which  the  walls  of 


164 


HALL  OF  BEAUTY. 


this  apartment  are  everywhere  covered.  Its  scale  indeed,  after 
the  vague  language  of  some  writers,  may  a little  disappoint 
the  traveler,  who  has  perhaps  looked  for  a boundless  “ hall 
of  Eblis”  in  the  interior  of  these  sepulchers ; but  nothing 
can  be  more  wonderful  than  to  see,  as  the  light  of  the  torch 
is  applied  successively  to  the  dusky  walls,  group  after  group, 
of  the  most  elaborate  execution  and  vivid  coloring,  start  suc- 
cessively into  life,  most  of  which  are  yet  full  of  mysteries,  even 
to  those  who  have  pored  half  a life  over  their  hidden  mythologi- 
cal import.  This  hall  is  supported  by  four  square  columns,  on 
which  Osirei,  father  of  Rameses  II.,  is  represented  in  presence 
of  different  divinities,  the  roof  is  covered  with  golden  stars, 
and  the  walls  represent  processions  of  a very  singular  character, 
some  personages  bearing  on  their  shoulders  the  folds  of  an 
enormous  serpent ; but  the  most  remarkable  consists  of  four 
different  groups,  each  consisting  of  four  persons,  of  different 
features  and  complexions,  alternately  red,  white,  black,  and 
white  again,  which  to  Wilkinson  assume  a peculiar  significa- 
tion : the  red  being  intended  to  express  the  Egyptians ; the 
next,  a bearded  northern  people,  with  whom  they  were  often  at 
war,  to  testify  the  north ; as  do  the  blacks,  the  regions  of  the 
south  ; and  the  other  white  people  in  costume  the  oriental 
nations. 

An  adjacent  chamber,  the  paintings  of  which  are  unfinished, 
supported  by  two  pillars,  affords  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the 
figures  sketched  on,  before  wrought  out  by  the  labor  of  the 
chisel,  and  elaborately  painted  : these  outlines  are  very  bold  and 
masterly.  We  now  proceed  deeper  into  the  recesses  of  the  sep- 
ulcher, the  chambers  of  which  are  not  in  a line,  as  is  usually  the 
case ; a staircase  at  the  nearest  end  of  the  inner  wall  conducts 
to  two  passages,  and  another  chamber,  into  the  great  hall,  which 
is  rather  larger  than  the  one  first  entered,  and  having  six  pillars 
instead  of  four,  with  two  lateral  apartments,  and  at  the  extremity 
an  oblong,  covered  saloon,  in  the  midst  of  which,  on  the  summit 
of  an  inclined  plane  and  staircases,  extending  deep  into  the 


THE  HALL  OF  BEAUTY 


DOCTRINE  OF  THE  JUDGMENT. 


165 


rock,  and  part  of  which  is  filled  up  with  fallen  earth,  stood, 
when  Belzoni  entered,  the  celebrated  sarcophagus,  which  held 
the  body  of  the  monarch,  now  in  the  museum  of  Sir  J.  Soane. 
Connected  with  this  hall  are  other  small  chambers,  in  one  of 
which  are  sculptures  which  startle  the  uninitiated,  appearing 
to  some  to  cast  the  reproach  of  human  sacrifice  upon  the  Egyp- 
tian religion,  though  these  are  believed  by  antiquaries  to  have 
an  emblematic  signification,  as  have  most  of  the  other  sculptures, 
relating  to  the  future  passage  of  the  soul  through  different  stages 
of  existence. 

The  entire  extent  of  this  astonishing  succession  of  chambers 
and  passages  is  hollowed  to  a length  of  320  feet  into  the  heart 
of  the  rock,  and  they  are  everywhere  covered  with  the  same 
subjects,  a large  proportion  of  which  are  of  mythological  sig- 
nification, only  to  be  unfolded,  if  ever,  by  the  long  and  per- 
severing scrutiny  of  the  scholar.  To  the  ordinary  visitor  they 
are  sealed  records ; he  gazes  with  vacant  wonder  on  the  com- 
binations of  strange  sculpture  that  mock  him  from  the  walls,  the 
abstruse  symbols  of  a religion  whose  deeper  mysteries  elude  re- 
search. Yet,  without  entering  too  deeply  into  this  subject,  it  may 
be  remarked,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  judgment  and  the  future 
life  is  plainly  depicted  on  the  Egyptian  monuments,  as  will  be 


106 


FUNERAL  OF  THE  MONARCH. 


seen  from  the  annexed  copy  of  a portion  of  the  sarcophagus 
taken  from  this  tomb,  wherein  Osiris  is  represented  as  sitting 
on  his  throne,  weighing  the  actions  of  the  departed,  an  un- 
happy soul,  who  for  his  sins  has  passed  into  the  body  of  a pig, 
being  carried  away  in  a boat. 

In  other  sculptures,  as  well  as  in  the  papyrus  “Book  of  the 
Dead”  in  the  Turin  Museum,  the  doctrine  is  more  fully 
elaborated.  The  soul  was  supposed  to  be  dormant  until  the 
mummification  of  the  body  was  completed,  when,  after  various 
adventures,  it  ascended  to  the  hall  of  Osiris,  appearing  on  its 
way  before  the  forty-two  assessors,  each  challenging  it  to  prove 
its  innocence  of  a particular  sin,  in  which,  if  it  is  successful,  it 
receives  its  due  award,  and  passes  into  the  regions  of  the  blest, 
In  the  great  serpent,  to  which  allusion  has  already  been  made, 
and  which  is  also  found  represented  on  this  sarcophagus  as  over- 
come, and  conquered,  and  borne  on  the  shoulders  of  men,  we 
see  perhaps  some  remote  analogy  with  the  doctrine  of  the  book 
of  Genesis. 

The  formation  of  costly  tombs  was  encouraged  by  the  priest- 
hood, who  derived  thence  additional  influence,  and  many 
years  would  sometimes  be  consulted  in  the  elaborate  decora- 
tion of  his  future  abode,  by  its  wealthy  proprietor.  Nothing 
could  exceed  the  magnificence  of  the  funeral  obsequies  of 
a virtuous  monarch.  A general  mourning  for  seventy-two 
days  and  a solemn  fast  was  proclaimed,  and  numerous  pro- 
cessions of  mourners  through  the  streets  extolled  the  virtues  of 
the  deceased.  Some  idea  of  the  splendor  of  the  funeral  pro- 
cession of  a king  may  be  formed  from  various  representations  of 
those  of  wealthy  individuals.  The  most  beautiful  feature  was 
the  passage  of  the  sacred  lake.  After  a long  procession  of 
servants,  and  mourners,  and  priests  bearing  offerings,  shrines, 
flowers,  &c.,  and  of  wailing  women  beating  their  breasts,  and 
who,  like  those  described  in  Scripture,  cast  dust  upon  their 
heads,  came  the  sarcophagus  bearing  the  corpse.  On  reaching 
the  lake,  the  sarcophagus  was  transferred  to  the  consecrated 


r 


THE  HARPER’S  TOMB.  167 

boat — of  elegant  and  graceful  form,  and  others  scarcely  less 
splendid  conveyed  the  rest  of  the  mourners  to  the  opposite 
shore,  forming,  as  depicted  in  the  tombs,  a most  magnificent 
spectacle.  Here  the  procession  was  again  formed  to  convey  the 
body  to  the  tomb,  on  reaching  which  the  sarcophagus  was 
placed  erect  in  the  chamber,  while  a priest  performed  a sacrifice, 
and  the  nearest  relatives,  with  loud  wailings,  extolled  the 
virtues  of  the  deceased,  which  were  repeated  by  the  rest  of  the 
mourners. 

We  read  in  Scripture  that  the  wicked  kings  of  Israel  were  not 
allowed  to  be  “gathered  to  the  sepulchers  of  their  fathers”  with 
honor.  Such  was  also  the  case  with  certain  of  the  Egyptian 
kings.  When,  after  the  embalming  of  the  body  and  a variety  of 
ceremonies,  the  coffin  was  brought  to  the  brink  of  the  sacred 
lake,  to  be  ferried  over  to  his  tomb,  a sort  of  preliminary  trial 
of  the  deceased  took  place,  who  might  be  deprived  of  an  hon- 
orable funeral,  and  of  admission  to  the  consecrated  sepulchers, 
by  public  and  unanswerable  testimony  to  his  crimes. 

As  we  emerge  from  these  dark  halls,  scarcely  illuminated  by 
candles  or  the  fires  of  straw  and  brush,  which  the  reckless 
traveler  lights  in  their  recesses,  what  a contrast  is  there  to  the 
blinding  day  above — the  burning  sand  and  rock  of  the  desolate 
valley,  more  sad  than  the  sepulchers  hollowed  in  its  rocky 
sides.  I was  glad  to  escape  from  it  again  into  the  neighboring 
tomb,  called  after  the  celebrated  Bruce,  whose  description  of  a 
harper  upon  its  walls  occasioned  so  much  ridicule  and  reproach. 
This  is  not  so  irregular  as  the  one  described,  nor  are  the 
chambers  so  numerous  or  intricate,  but  it  pierces  405  feet  on 
a more  gradual  slope  into  the  mountain-side.  The  sculptures 
are  more  intelligible  and  interesting  to  the  unlearned  visitor,  for 
they  exhibit  domestic  and  culinary  usages — different  boats, 
arms  and  armor,  furniture  of  all  descriptions ; agricultural 
scenes,  birds,  fruits,  and  other  natural  productions ; with 
a clearness  and  minuteness  equally  amusing  and  startling  ; for 
these  familiar  representations  are  not  less  than  2000  years  old, 


168 


CONCEALED  TOMBS. 


and  bear  testimony,  no  less  than  other  more  marvelous  sculp- 
tures and  monuments,  to  the  high  state  of  civilization  existing  at 
that  time  among  the  ancient  Egyptians ; even  on  a cursory 
glance,  they  enable  us  to  build  up  in  idea  the  perished  palaces 
of  Thebes,  and  to  furnish  them  with  all  the  appliances  and 
means  which  elegance  and  luxury,  guided  by  taste,  could  sug- 
gest or  create,  to  fill  their  halls  with  the  sound  of  music  and 
revelry. 

Another  of  the  most  remarkable  of  the  tombs,  is  that  which 
appears  on  the  right  hand  of  the  annexed  view ; the  descent  is 
more  gradual  than  in  the  others,  and  of  course  more  elegant ; 
but  it  does  not  produce  that  impression  of  wonder  and  mys- 
tery occasioned  by  the  tomb  of  Belzoni.  We  learn,  from  various 
inscriptions,  that  it  was  much  admired  by  Greek  and  Roman 
visitors.  Beside  these,  there  are  numerous  others  open  ; and 
in  the  western  branch  of  the  ravine,  that  of  Amunothph  III.,  of 
the  vocal  statue,  the  oldest  king  whose  tomb  has  yet  been  dis- 
covered ; and  it  is  here  that  Wilkinson  supposes  the  most 
ancient  sepulchers  yet  remain  to  be  discovered. 

“ When  Hecataeus,”  says  Mr.  Sharpe,  “ visited  Egypt  in  the 
reign  of  Ptolemy,  many  of  these  tombs  had  even  then  been 
opened  to  gratify  the  curiosity  of  the  learned  or  the  greediness 
of  the  conqueror.  Forty-seven  royal  tombs  were  mentioned 
in  the  records  of  the  priests,  of  which  the  entrances  had 
been  covered  up  with  earth  and  hidden  in  the  sloping  sides  of 
the  hills,  in  the  hope  that  they  might  remain  undisturbed  and 
unplundered,  and  might  keep  safe  the  embalmed  bodies  of 
the  kings  till  they  should  arise  again  at  the  end  of  the  world  ; 
and  seventeen  of  these  had  already  been  found  and  broken 
open.  Hecatseus  was  told,  that  the  other  tombs  had  been  before 
destroyed  ; and  we  owe  it,  perhaps,  to  this  mistake,  that  they 
remained  unopened  for  more  than  two  thousand  years  longer, 
to  reward  the  researches  of  modern  travelers,  and  to  unfold  to 
us  the  history  of  their  builders.” 

The  sun  was  getting  high  when  we  prepared  to  leave  this 


168 


CONCEALED  TOMBS. 


and  bear  testimony,  no  less  than  other  more  marvelous  sculp- 
tures and  monuments,  to  the  high  state  of  civilization  existing  at 
that  time  among  the  ancient  Egyptians ; even  on  a cursory 
glance,  they  enable  us  to  build  up  in  idea  the  perished  palaces 
of  Thebes,  and  to  furnish  them  with  all  the  appliances  and 
means  which  elegance  and  luxury,  guided  by  taste,  could  sug- 
gest or  create,  to  fill  their  halls  with  the  sound  of  music  and 
revelry. 

Another  of  the  most  remarkable  of  the  tombs,  is  that  which 
appears  on  the  right  hand  of  the  annexed  view ; the  descent  is 
more  gradual  than  in  the  others,  and  of  course  more  elegant; 
but  it  does  not  produce  that  impression  of  wonder  and  mys- 
tery occasioned  by  the  tomb  of  Belzoni.  We  learn,  from  various 
inscriptions,  that  it  was  much  admired  by  Greek  and  Roman 
visitors.  Beside  these,  there  are  numerous  others  open  ; and 
in  the  western  branch  of  the  ravine,  that  of  Anrunothph  III.,  of 
the  vocal  statue,  the  oldest  king  whose  tomb  has  yet  been  dis- 
covered ; and  it  is  here  that  Wilkinson  supposes  the  most 
ancient  sepulchers  yet  remain  to  be  discovered. 

“ When  Hecataeus,”  says  Mr.  Sharpe,  “ visited  Egypt  in  the 
reign  of  Ptolemy,  many  of  these  tombs  had  even  then  been 
opened  to  gratify  the  curiosity  of  the  learned  or  the  greediness 
of  the  conqueror.  Forty-seven  royal  tombs  were  mentioned 
in  the  records  of  the  priests,  of  which  the  entrances  had 
been  covered  up  with  earth  and  hidden  in  the  sloping  sides  of 
the  hills,  in  the  hope  that  they  might  remain  undisturbed  and 
unplundered,  and  might  keep  safe  the  embalmed  bodies  of 
the  kings  till  they  should  arise  again  at  the  end  of  the  world  ; 
and  seventeen  of  these  had  already  been  found  and  broken 
open.  Hecataeus  was  told,  that  the  other  tombs  had  been  before 
destroyed  ; and  we  owe  it,  perhaps,  to  this  mistake,  that  they 
remained  unopened  for  more  than  two  thousand  years  longer, 
to  reward  the  researches  of  modern  travelers,  and  to  unfold  to 
us  the  history  of  their  builders.” 

The  sun  was  getting  high  when  we  prepared  to  leave  this 


PLAIN  OF  THEBE8 


PLAIN  OF  THEBES. 


169 


valley  of  death,  which  gathering  and  reflecting  his  fiery  rays,  is, 
at  noon,  all  but  insupportable.  A steep  pathway,  up  which  we 
toiled  with  difficulty  on  foot,  gradually  brought  us  toward  the 
summit  of  the  mountain,  and  we  looked  down  into  the  chasms 
sunk  below,  in  the  very  depth  of  which  are  descried,  here  and 
there,  the  narrow,  dark  mouths  of  the  sepulchers,  while  others, 
undisturbed,  are  hidden  in  unseen  recesses.  Arriving  at  the 
crest  of  the  passage,  a light  breeze  from  the  Nile  fanned 
our  aching  brows  and  somewhat  relieved  the  oppressive  sultri- 
ness, and  the  eye  caught  suddenly  on  the  broad  and  noble  river 
rolling  afar  like  molten  and  glittering  silver.  " A few  steps  more 
brought  us  to  the  very  edge  of  the  precipice,  and  the  site  of 
the  “ world’s  great  mistress  on  the  Egyptian  plain”  lay  out- 
stretched before  us  under  the  noontide  heat. 

It  is,  indeed,  marked  by  nature  for  a great  capital ; — a 
grand  valley  many  miles  in  width,  divided  by  the  Nile — de- 
fended on  the  west  by  the  craggy  range  of  mountains  we 
stood  upon,  and  on  the  east  by  the  far  distant  hills  on  the 
Arabian  side ; — a mighty  area,  strewn  for  miles  with  the 
scattered  remains  of  former  magnificence,  which,  colossal  as 
they  prove  to  be  on  a nearer  approach,  from  hence  appear  but 
specks  upon  the  lifeless,  desolate  expanse. 

I have  now  exhibited  in  the  drawings  the  entire  extent  of  the 
view,  the  Assaseef  and  its  region  of  tombs  lying  too  far  to  the 
west  to  be  well  included.  The  noble  river,  though  the  city 
through  which  it  flowed  has  passed  away,  still  maintains  its 
fertilizing  influence ; its  annual  deposit,  like  its  bed,  has  risen 
higher,  and  the  ground  probably  once  occupied  by  buildings 
in  the  center  of  the  view  is  all  cultivable  up  to  the  edge  of  the 
sand  at  the  foot  of  the  Libyan  mountains.  The  bold  off-shoots  of 
the  arid  sandstone  mountain  which  occupy  the  fore  and  middle 
ground  are  pierced  with  innumerable  sepulchers,  running  deep 
into  the  heart  of  the  rock,  the  greater  part  of  which  face  the 
south ; the  valleys  between  are  equally  the  abodes  of  death, 
mummy-pits,  long  opened  and  rifled,  everywhere  honeycomb 

22 


170 


PLAIN  OF  THEBES. 


the  sandy  soil ; millions  lay  buried  under  the  heaving  mounds 
and  the  deep  holes  through  which  intricate  and  dangerous 
pathways  run  from  ruin  to  ruin.  On  the  verge  of  this  region, 
among  the  burning  sands,  stand  conspicuous  on  the  left  the 
ruins  of  the  Memnonium,  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  elegant 
of  the  temples,  but  hence  appearing  an  indistinct  mass  of 
columns  and  propylaea.  To  the  left,  following  the  edge  of  the 
cultivated  soil,  lies  the  path  to  the  Assaseef,  and  some  portions 
of  the  tombs  of  which  appear.  On  the  left  are  seen  the  temple 
and  village  of  Gornou,  not  included  in  the  view. 

To  the  right,  the  path  from  the  Memnonium  conducts  to  the 
extensive  mounds  and  ruins  of  Medeenet  Habou,  a world  in 
itself ; and  behind  is  the  gloomy  Birket  Habou,  or  lake  of 
Habou,  formerly  dedicated  to  funeral  ceremonies,  and  now  seen 
surrounded  by  sandy  mounds.  In  this  direction,  the  city  on  this 
side,  called  the  Libyan  suburb,  probably  terminated.  Conspicu- 
ous in  the  center  of  the  view,  on  the  cultivated  ground  be- 
tween the  Memnonium  and  Medeenet  Habou,  stands,  in  lonely, 
isolated  grandeur,  the  colossal  statue  of  the  Vocal  Memnon 
and  its  more  distant  fellow ; the  earth  has  risen  about  their  base 
and  covered  the  fallen  fragments  of  that  avenue  of  sphynxes 
and  buildings  with  which  they  stood  connected.  Beyond  these, 
on  the  other  side  of  the  broad  solitary  river,  appears,  at  a prom- 
inent point,  the  village  and  temple  of  Luxor  ; and  to  the  left 
of  this,  at  the  distance  of  more  than  a mile,  are  the  groups  of 
propylaea,  walls,  and  columns  of  Karnak,  whose  wonderful  ex- 
tent and  colossal  character  are  reduced  by  distance  to  a confused, 
undistinguishable  mass.  It  was  around  and  far  beyond  this 
central  ruin,  the  heart  of  old  Thebes,  the  perished  city  ex- 
tended eastward  toward  the  Arabian  mountains. 

Let  us  go  back  for  a moment  to  the  period  of  its  highest 
magnificence.  The  vacant  plain  was  then  covered  by  the 
crowded  streets  of  the  capital,  and  from  the  spot  where  we 
stood,  instead  of  the  death-like  silence  which  broods  over  it, 
we  should  have  heard  the  hum  of  its  immense  population. 


A GLANCE  AT  ANCIENT  THEBES. 


171 


Tlie  streets,  we  find,  were  for  the  most  part  very  narrow  and 
impervious  to  the  sun,  but  some  were  wider,  and  along  these 
we  may  see  rolling  the  light  chariots  of  the  wealthy,  accom- 
panied by  their  crowds  of  servants,  and  all  the  varied  costumes 
of  the  different  castes  of  society, — the  pale,  intellectual  priest,  the 
bronzed  veteran  of  the  eastern  campaigns,  the  tradesman,  the 
husbandman,  and  the  boatman.  The  houses  in  these  main 
thoroughfares,  we  learn  from  Wilkinson,  were  stately  and 
elegantly  furnished,  several  stories  high,  and  ornamented  with 
portals,  which,  like  those  of  the  modern  Arabs  in  Cairo,  bore 
some  religious  inscriptions.  From  their  interior  courts,  we 
should  have  admired,  too,  the  groups  of  palm-trees  arising, 
covered  with  clouds  of  doves,  and  the  flat  roofs,  each  with  its 
small  turret,  and  machine  for  ventilation.  From  temple  to 
temple,  each  with  its  massive  entrance  propylsea,  probably  the 
“ hundred  gates”  alluded  to  by  Ilomer,  and  its  courts  sur- 
rounded by  defensive  walls  covered  with  historical  sculptures, 
extended  avenues  of  sphynxes,  and  along  these  we  might 
picture  to  ourselves  religious  processions  advancing  in  all  their 
pomp,  or  the  solemn  celebration  of  the  return  of  one  of  the 
warrior  kings  from  some  distant  and  successful  enterprise. 

The  river,  too,  along  which  slowly  moves  at  intervals  a single 
bark,  was  then  gay  with  a variety  of  vessels,  from  the  splendid 
barge  of  the  monarch  to  the  humble  ferry-boats,  which  plied 
incessantly  from  the  great  avenues  of  Karnak  and  Luxor  across 
to  the  western  suburb,  and  disgorged  the  crowds  who  poured 
along  the  dromos,  or  ‘ royal  street,’  which  formerly  connected 
the  latter  temple  with  the  great  colossi,  which  now  stands, 
solitary,  amid  the  graves  of  the  countless  thousands  it  has 
outlived. 

We  must  not  forget  the  funeral  ceremonies,  already  alluded 
to,  so  important  a feature  in  the  manners  of  the  ancient  Egyp- 
tians. Over  the  distant  lake  of  Birket  Habou,  on  the  right 
of  the  view,  might  have  been  seen  from  time  to  time  pro- 
cessions of  boats,  bearing  the  bodies  of  the  dead,  the  mummy 


172 


MEDEENET  HABOU. 


deposited  in  a shrine,  placed  upon  the  sledge,  upon  which  it  was 
afterward  drawn,  amid  the  wailing  of  their  kindred,  to  their 
tombs  in  the  region  of  ‘ Amenti,’  or  the  west,  on  which  side  of 
the  Nile  the  cemeteries  are  usually  placed.  We  may  almost 
hear  the  clink  of  the  workman's  hammer  as  he  fashioned  the 
everlasting  habitations  of  the  dead,  and  we  may  fancy  whole 
legions  of  painters  and  sculptors  at  work  in  ornamenting  their 
dim  recesses,  with  those  vivid  representations  of  every-day  life, 
which  subsisted  here  unchanged  for  ages. 

With  this  view  of  the  site  of  Thebes,  map-like  in  detail  and 
mournfully  grand  in  its  general  impression,  we  proceed  to 
examine  the  different  monuments,  or  rather,  fields  of  ruin, 
which  are  scattered  about  the  plain.  The  steep  pathway 
gradually  descends  from  this  commanding  elevation,  along  the 
brink  of  sandstone  precipices,  beneath  which  is  concealed  the 
elegant  little  temple  of  Dayr  el  Medeeneh,  well  worthy  of  a 
separate  visit,  and  at  length  brings  us  down  to  the  walls  and 
mounds  of  Medeenet  Habou. 

This  immense  group  of  buildings  is  so  mixed  up  with  a 
mass  of  later  erections  that  it  is  difficult  to  realize  its  ori- 
ginal effect.  The  principal  edifice  is  the  colossal  temple  and 
palace  of  Rameses  III.,  but  adjacent  on  the  south,  and  on  a 
different  plane,  is  another,  and  smaller  one,  to  which  large  courts 
have  been  added  by  the  Ptolemaic  kings.  The  pavilion  of 
Rameses  is  very  singular  and  unique  in  point  of  architecture, 
while  its  decorative  sculptures  are  very  curious.  It  appears 
(though  from  the  point  of  view  not  fully)  in  the  accompanying 
illustration,  which  also  includes  the  later  Ptolemaic  courts  and 
facade  to  the  smaller  temple  above  mentioned.  Two  lodges 
flanked  the  entrance  to  the  palace  ; on  either  hand  is  a pyramidal 
building  resembling  a tower,  on  the  external  fagades  of  which 
are  sculptures  representing  the  Egyptian  conqueror  in  the  act 
of  smiting  a vanquished  foe,  in  presence  of  the  god  Amunre. 
The  passage  between  these  towers  goes  under  the  northern  or 
inner  part  of  the  building,  consisting  of  different  apartments, 


On  the  edge  of  the  inundated  land 


COURT  OP  MEDEENET  HABOU. 


173 


which,  with  others  now  ruined,  formed  the  pavilion  of  the  king. 
The  rooms  are  surprisingly  small,  but  exceedingly  interesting, 
for  on  the  walls  are  sculptures  illustrative  of  the  private  life  of 
an  Egyptian  monarch,  who  is  seated  among  the  favorites  of 
his  harem,  all  standing  after  the  oriental  fashion  ; some  fan 
him,  and  others  present  him  with  flowers.  These  once  royal 
apartments  were  occupied  when  we  passed  by  a number  of 
Fellahs  from  some  distant  village,  with  their  camels,  whose 
squalor  and  misery  contrasted  strangely  with  these  vestiges  of 
oriental  voluptuousness.  The  exterior  architecture  of  these 
pavilions  is  very  curious,  half-castellated  in  character,  orna- 
mented with  pointed  shields  somewhat  resembling  the  Saracen 
battlements  of  later  times.  The  passage  under  the  building 
continued  in  a line  to  the  great  temple,  which  is  entered  be- 
tween two  lofty  propylaea  adorned  with  sculptures  of  similar 
import  to  those  on  the  pavilion.  This  gives  access  to  the  first 
great  court,  lined  on  either  side  with  columns,  half-buried  in 
rubbish,  and  terminated  with  another  tower,  between  which  we 
pass  into  a second  and  very  splendid  area.  Some  idea  of  its 
style  may  be  formed  from  what  remains  of  it ; but  the  efl'ect 
of  the  court  has  been  much  defaced  by  the  destruction  of  the 
figures  formerly  attached  to  the  square  Osiride  columns  and 
other  portions,  as  well  as  by  the  puny  erections  of  Christian 
date,  which  stand  in  curious  contrast  to  the  decayed  grandeur 
of  the  original  building.  A beautiful  corridor  of  circular 
columns  runs  within  the  north  side  : on  these  the  painting 
is  much  preserved,  and  assists  us  in  forming  some  idea 
of  the  entire  effect  of  the  original  design,  which  is  justly 
regarded  as  very  elegant,  though  the  scale,  after  all,  is  not 
of  that  vastness  which  seems  necessary  to  give  an  impressive 
effect  to  Egyptian  architecture.  The  sculptures  on  the  walls 
of  the  court  (minutely  described  by  Wilkinson)  carry  us  back 
to  the  palmy  days  of  their  monarchy,  and  have  proved  a mine 
to  the  antiquary.  There  Rameses,  borne  in  royal  state,  with 
his  children,  officers,  and  priests,  officiates  before  the  statues  of 


r- 


174  HISTORICAL  SCULPTURES. 

the  gods  of  Thebes  ; every  detail  of  their  splendid  religious  cere- 
monies seems  elaborately  depicted ; while  on  the  other  wall  he 
is  represented  as  battling  and  triumphing.  Seated  proudly  in  his 
car,  he  receives  the  unhappy  captives,  whose  arms  are  painfully 
bound  behind  them  ; scribes  enumerate  the  hands  of  the  slain, 
and  even  more  disgusting  memorials  of  the  barbarity  of  oriental 
warfare,  which  are  heaped  up  before  him  ; and  the  history  of 
these  exploits,  supposed  to  record  victories  over  their  Asiatic 
enemies,  appears  in  the  accompanying  hieroglyphic  tablets. 

Passing  to  the  outside  of  the  temple,  the  same  scenes  are  ex- 
hibited in  great  variety  and  detail ; and  the  sculptor,  availing 
himself  of  the  extensive  flat  surface  afforded  by  the  external 
walls,  has  given  a sort  of  panorama  of  all  the  incidents  of  a cam- 
paign with  some  oriental  enemy,  covering  the  entire  space,  in 
curious  adaptation,  or  rather  defiance  of  perspective,  with  all  the 
pell-mell  and  confusion  of  attack,  defense,  retreat — both  by  land 
and  sea,  in  a style  which,  if  not  classically  or  anatomically 
correct,  and  often  grotesque,  is  wonderfully  truth-telling  and 
spirited  in  the  main  ; the  storm  of  battle  seems  to  roll  along 
with  all  its  savage  incidents,  in  the  invention  of  which,  the 
sculptor  has  displayed  an  inexhaustible  variety  as  well  as  histor- 
ical minuteness.  Everywhere  the  Egyptians  triumph  ; the  per- 
sonal prowess  of  the  monarch,  who  is  always  represented  on  a 
gigantic  scale,  is  conspicuously  exhibited — terrible,  and  even 
cruel  to  his  enemies,  he  is  no  less  pious  to  his  protecting  gods  ; 
he  transfixes  the  lions  who  attack  his  car  with  the  same  intrepidity 
and  success  with  which  he  drives  upon  the  opposing  hosts, — in 
short,  he  is  the  very  ideal  of  an  old  Homeric  warrior  and  king. 

I have  only  instanced  the  principal  objects  of  interest  at  Me- 
deenet  Habou,  and  those  very  briefly.  Pass  we  now  from  this 
great  and  confused  assemblage  of  buildings,  along  the  edge  of 
the  cultivated  land  toward  the  ruins  of  the  Memnonium.  This 
track  displays  on  all  sides  vestiges  of  former  buildings,  tombs 
on  the  sandy  slopes  and  hills,  and  remains  of  statues  and  tem- 
ples in  the  marsh  below,  connected  with  the  colossal  statues  of 


At  the  Memnonium 


COLOSSAL  STATUE. 


175 


Memnon,  and  other  edifices,  the  site  of  which  is  obscure. 
The  ruins  of  the  Memnonium,  or  palace  and  temple  ol  Rameses 
II.,  rise  grandly  upon  the  eye,  far  surpassing  in  effect  those  of 
Medeenet  Habou.  The  immense  propylon,  covered  with  sculp- 
ture, which  formed  the  entrance  to  the  first  court,  the  walls  of 
which  are  destroyed ; the  second  wall  of  this  court,  with  the 
picturesque  Osiride  columns  attached  to  it,  with  the  fragments  of 
the  colossal  statue  at  their  foot,  form  so  noble  and  characteristic 
a specimen  of  Egyptian  architecture  in  ruin,  that  I could  not 
resist  the  temptation  of  transferring  it  to  my  sketch-book.  Per- 
haps the  drawing  may  convey  to  the  mind  of  the  reader  some 
measure  of  that  wonder  with  which  I regarded  the  prostrate 
fragments  of  that  statue  of  Syenite  granite,  than  which  nothing 
in  Thebes  so  well  justifies  the  expression  of  Belzoni,  that  you 
appear  to  be  wandering  here  among  a city  of  giants.  The  por- 
tion seen  in  perspective  in  the  drawing  is  merely  the  head, 
chest,  and  upper  part  of  the  figure,  broken  in  the  middle ; it  is 
22  feet  4 inches  across  the  shoulders,  and  14  feet  4 inches  from 
the  neck  to  the  elbow.  “To  say  that  this  is  the  largest  statue 
in  Egypt  will  convey  no  idea  of  the  gigantic  size  or  enormous 
weight  of  a mass,  which,  from  an  approximate  calculation,  ex- 
ceeded, when  entire,  nearly  three  times  the  solid  contents  of  the 
great  obelisk  at  Karnak,  and  weighed  about  887  tuns,  5i  hun- 
dred-weight.” On  the  wall  of  the  propylon  in  the  back-ground 
is  seen  Rameses  II.  in  his  chariot  driving  upon  a host  of  fugi- 
tive enemies  during  one  of  his  Asiatic  campaigns. 

The  Memnonium,  though  not  the  most  colossal,  is,  perhaps, 
the  most  chaste  and  elegant  specimen  of  Egyptian  architectui'e, 
at  its  period  of  characteristic  perfection,  before  its  proportions 
were  altered  by  the  infusion  of  Grecian  taste.  It  was,  orig- 
inally, a vast  and  sumptuous  structure,  the  effect  of  which, 
even  in  its  present  fragmentary  state,  it  is  not  difficult  to 
imagine.  Its  lofty  propylaea,  or  gateway  towers,  covered  with 
historical  sculptures,  gave  access  to  the  first  open  court,  in 
which  stood  the  colossal  statue,  the  fragments  of  which  we  have 


176 


THE  MEMNONIUM. 


just  described.  Through  this  there  was  a passage  into  the 
second  court,  having,  on  two  sides,  the  rows  of  the  Osiride 
columns,  and  the  two  remaining  ones  of  circular  columns,  part 
of  which  corridor  is  seen  in  the  annexed  view.  The  entire 
effect  of  this  second  court  must  have  been  imposing  in  the 
extreme.  Three  flights  of  steps  led  up  from  its  open  area  into 
the  northern  corridor  of  Osiride  pillars ; on  each  side  of  the 
center  one  was  a black  granite  statue  of  Rameses  II.  With  his 
spirit  awed  by  this  display  of  magnificence,  the  spectator  next 
advanced  from  this  corridor  into  the  Grand,  Hall,  the  azure 


roof  of  which  rose  above  his  head,  studded  with  golden  stars,  and 
was  supported  upon  a central  colonnade  of  twelve  massive  yet 


HALL  OF  MEMNOHIUM. 


177 


elegant  columns.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  architecture  is  imita- 
tive of  the  vegetable  life  of  the  country,  the  capital  being  copied 
from  the  graceful  bell-shaped  flower  of  the  papyrus.  The 
adornments  also  are  designed  from  the  stalks  and  flowers  of 
different  plants,  painted  in  blue  and  green,  and  they  are  often 
exquisitely  beautiful.  The  more  chaste  and  classical  buildings 
of  the  Ramessean  period,  as  in  the  present  instance,  have  their 
ranges  of  columns  and  capitals  uniform,  while,  as  will  be  seen 
in  the  drawing  of  Edfou,  those  of  the  Ptolemaic  period  are 
studiously  different,  all  of  them  too  being  combinations  of 
vegetable  forms,  which,  varied  and  graceful  as  they  are,  yet 
by  that  very  variety  detract,  in  a symmetrica]  architecture  like 
that  of  the  Egyptian  temple,  from  simplicity  of  general  effect. 

When  we  consider  the  grave,  yet  elegant  simplicity  of  its 
architecture,  the  gorgeous  decorations  consisting  of  divine 
figures  and  symbols,  imitative  of  the  starry  orbs  of  heaven,  and 
the  beautiful  plants  and  flowers  of  the  sacred  Nile,  together 
with  the  battle  scenes  carved  upon  the  side  walls  commemorat- 
ing the  victories  of  the  Egyptian  monarchs,  or  processions  to 
their  gods,  all  blended  by  a rich  and  glowing  reflection  of  the 
light  admitted  from  the  side  aperture,  we  may  fancy  what  must 
have  been  the  impressiveness  and  beauty  of  this  hall  in  its  state 
of  pristine  perfection.  It  is  certainly  the  most  elegant,  if  not 
the  most  stupendous  in  Egypt. 

Among  the  battle  scenes  on  the  south  wall  of  the  great  hall, 
one  is  left — a curious  scene,  displaying  the  mode  of  attacking  a 
fortress  upon  a rock.  Under  cover  of  the  testudo,  a shield 
composed  of  frame-work,  and  propped  up,  large  enough  to 
shelter  several  men,  and  curved  so  as  to  afford  a footing  to 
others,  the  assailants  are  engaged  in  mining,  and  planting 
scaling  ladders  against  the  walls.  Of  these  testudos,  four  are 
commanded  by  sons  of  Rameses  the  Great.  One  of  their  allies, 
the  extreme  figure  on  the  left,  is  endeavoring  by  use  of  a 
sharp  spike  placed  in  the  fissures  to  clamber  up  the  rock,  which 
others,  mounted  on  the  testudos,  are  vigorously  escalading.  The 

23 


178 


BATTLE  SCENE. 


sculptor  seems  to  have  chosen  a moment  when  the  defence, 
still  maintained  on  one  side,  by  means  of  darts,  stones,  and 
spears,  is  slackening  on  the  other,  signals  of  surrender  are 
making  from  above,  and  heralds  are  letting  themselves  down 
to  ti'eat  of  it,  and  implore  the  clemency  of  the  victor.  At  the 
base  of  the  tower,  chariots  and  horsemen  are  rushing  up  to 
the  scene  of  the  assault.  The  whole  effect  is  exceedingly  life- 
like, natural,  and  striking,  and  probably  represents  some  in- 
cident in  one  of  the  oriental  campaigns  of  the  monarch. 


On  the  upper  end  of  the  hall,  Rameses  is  represented  receiv- 
ing the  emblems  of  life  and  power  from  Amun,  the  presiding 
deity  of  Thebes,  and  there  is  a long  procession  of  his  sons  and 
daughters.  From  the  great  hall  the  visitor  advanced  into 
several  smaller  chambers,  the  first  of  which  being  apparently 
the  library,  over  which  Hecatseus  praises  the  inscription  which 
calls  the  books  of  Thoth  the  “ medicine  of  the  mind.”  It  is 
adorned  with  astronomical  subjects,  and  the  inmost,  to  which 
access  was  given  by  a door  of  two  folds  revolving  on  bronze 
pins,  were  also  covered  with  sculptures  representing  the  mon- 
arch making  offerings  to  the  gods. 

Nigh  to  the  exterior  of  the  Memnonium  are  several  masses 


the  two  colossi. 


* 


) 

SUN-DRIED  BRICKS.  179 

of  the  crude  or  sun-dried  bricks,  which  are  so  common  at  Thebes, 
of  which  the  external  inclosures  of  the  precincts  of  the  tem- 
ples were  formed,  as  well  as  the  greater  part  of  the  private 
buildings  of  the  city.  These  are  peculiarly  interesting,  as  being 
the  same  alluded  to  in  the  Bible,  at  the  making  of  which  the 
captive  Israelites  toiled  in  Lower  Egypt,  and,  as  some  have 
imagined,  even  at  Thebes,  from  certain  representations  of  the 
process  of  making  them,  which  are  painted  in  the  tombs.  They 
are  made  of  clay  combined  with  chopped  straw,  as  mentioned 
in  the  Scripture  account.  It  is  supposed  by  Wilkinson  that  this 
making  of  bricks  was  a royal  monopoly,  from  the  oval  names 
of  the  different  kings  which  are  stamped  upon  them.  Friable 
as  they  are,  and  easily  broken  with  a hammer,  they  perfectly 
retain,  after  a lapse  of  three  thousand  years,  their  original  form 
and  stamp.  Several  of  them  are  preserved  in  the  British  Mu- 
seum. They  are  about  16  inches  long,  7 wide,  and  5 thick. 

From  the  Memnonium  I proceeded  toward  the  Vocal  Mem- 
non,  but  the  progress  of  the  inundation  had  so  saturated  the 
surrounding  soil,  that  I was  unable  to  reach  its  base.  This 
statue,  and  its  fellow,  standing  austere  and  solemn  in  the  midst 
of  the  lone  expanse,  appear  more  weather-beaten  and  scarred  by 
external  injury  and  by  the  hand  of  time  than  any  other  monu- 
ments in  this  vast  field  of  ruin.  Their  lineaments  are  half- 
effaced,  and  their  gigantic  limbs  fractured  and  blackened.  It 
has  been  often  remarked  that  Egyptian  ruins  are  in  general  far 
from  impressing  us  with  a sense  of  their  immense  antiquity, 
owfing  to  the  absence  of  those  gray  hues  and  weather  stains, 
and  that  overgrowth  of  shrouding  vegetation,  which  give  so 
venerable  an  air  to  those  of  Europe,  whose  age  is  com- 
paratively but  of  yesterday.  In  this  dry  and  cloudless  clime, 
the  temples  seem,  as  it  has  been  well  expressed,  “ to  whiten  and 
burnish  under  the  sun  of  the  desert and  so  perfect  is  often  the 
stone-work,  so  sharp  the  chiseling,  and  brilliant  the  colors  of 
edifices  raised  three  thousand  years  ago,  that  one  might  suppose 
that  they  were  but  yesterday  hurled  from  perfection  into  ruin. 


ISO 


MODE  OF  TRANSPORT. 


Not  so,  however,  with  this  pair — survivors  of  the  downfall 
which  has  overtaken  other  colossi  of  materials  more  solid. 
Hoary,  and  blackened,  and  time-worn,  they  may  well  seem  to 
have  already  outlived  the  fall  of  empires  and  creeds,  and  yet 
to  be  destined  in  their  immovable  solidity  to  testify  of  the  gran- 
deur of  ancient  Thebes  to  nations  yet  unborn. 

When  we  consider  the  astonishing  magnitude  of  these  statues, 
and  of  that  still  more  extraordinary  one  of  the  Memnonium  which 
we  have  just  described,  as  well  as  of  the  obelisks  at  Karnak,  we 
are  puzzled  how  to  conceive  of  their  mode  of  transport  or  erec- 
tion. The  stone  from  which  the  two  sitting  statues  are  cut,  is 
not  found,  as  Wilkinson  informs  us,  within  several  days’ journey 
of  the  place,  and  the  Syenite  granite  of  the  Memnonium  was 
brought  from  the  cataracts  to  Thebes,  a distance  of  138  miles. 
The  block  being  separated  from  the  contiguous  mass  by  the 
action  of  wedges,  and  hewn  into  shape,  scaffoldings  were  raised 
about  it,  and  it  was  polished  and  completed  by  the  workmen. 
The  mode  of  transport  was  probably  by  water,  but  we  are  at  a 
loss  to  suggest  the  means  of  lowering  and  raising  at  will  such 
stupendous  masses.  A most  interesting  representation  of  the 
manner  of  dragging  along  a colossus  was  discovered  by  Irby  and 
Mangles,  in  a tomb,  and  is  figured  and  described  in  Wilkinson’s 
work.  A body  of  nearly  two  hundred  men,  probably  cap- 
tives, such  alone  being  employed  in  similar  services,  are  ar- 
ranged in  four  columns,  and  are  toiling  under  the  eye  of  the 
taskmaster,  at  the  exhausting  task  of  dragging  the  statue  by 
ropes,  inch  by  inch,  toward  the  place  of  its  destination.  This 
statue  was  not  above  half  the  size  of  the  colossi,  consequently 
we  must  suppose  double  the  number  of  men  to  have  been  here 
employed.  It  is  placed  in  a sledge,  and  the  inclined  plane, 
whether  on  the  ground  or  of  boarding,  is  being  greased  or  wet- 
ted to  facilitate  the  descent.  A man  stands  on  the  knee  of  the 
colossus,  beating  time,  or  uttering,  like  the  Nile  boatmen,  a shout, 
by  which  the  captives,  as  they  repeated  it,  might  count  each 
separate  pulsation  of  their  long-continued  agony.  It  is  fearful 


THE  VOCAL  MEMNON. 


1S1 


1 


to  think  how  many  victims  of  the  fate  of  war,  torn  from  distant 
climes  and  deprived  of  every  solace,  must  have  perished,  the 
weak  with  the  strong,  in  these  exhausting  labors.  We  may 
hear  the  panting  cry,  and  mark  the  failing  strength,  as,  urged 
along  by  the  blow  of  the  taskmaster,  the  sinking  captive 
dropped  upon  the  sand,  a vision  of  his  distant  country  rushing 
through  his  expiring  brain.  We  may  imagine,  too,  the  sense  of 
exultation  with  which  the  Thebans  would  witness  the  rearing  of 
these  statues  of  their  great  warrior  kings,  only  to  be  equaled 
by  the  savage  satisfaction  with  which  a foreign  invader  would 
behold  them  retributively  hurled  prostrate  on  the  sand,  from 
which  they  would  never  again  be  raised. 

A peculiar,  almost  poetical  interest  hovers  about  the  statue 
invested  by  ancient  tradition  with  the  name  of  the  “ Vocal 
Memnon,”  which,  according  to  old  accounts,  when  the  sun  rose 
above  the  Arabian  mountains  and  touched  its  lips  with  light, 
was  supposed  to  utter  responsive  sounds  ; even  modern  visitors 
having  repaired  there  before  sunrise  with  vague  expecta- 
tion, that,  by  the  operation  of  some  peculiar  cause,  not  yet 
understood,  the  marvel  might  be  realized  for  them,  but  in  vain. 
Some  have  considered  the  sounds  as  produced  by  accident,  and 
instances  of  a somewhat  similar  nature  have  certainly  been  met 
with,  of  tones  issuing  forth  from  among  hollow  rocks  ; but  there 
is  far  more  reason  to  believe,  that  it  was  a contrivance  of  the 
priesthood  to  extend  their  influence  over  a superstitious  people. 
The  mystery,  to  all  appearance,  has  been  unraveled  by  Sir  G. 
Wilkinson  : he  had  remarked,  that  one  of  the  visitors  had  com- 
pared the  sound  to  that  of  brass ; and  ascended  to  the  lap  of 
the  statue,  first  posting  some  Arabs  at  its  base,  who  exclaimed, 
as  he  struck  the  stone  with  a hammer,  “You  are  striking  brass.” 
This  explanation,  however,  has  not  satisfied  every  one. 

Inscriptions  expressive  of  the  admiration  or  spleen  of  trav- 
elers, are  nowhere  more  numerous  than  on  this  statue. 
Great  numbers  of  Greeks  and  Romans  visited  it  in  the  reign 
of  Hadrian  and  the  Antonines,  and  never  failed  to  repair 


182 


KOM  EL  HATTAN. 


thither  at  sunrise.  When  Hadrian  visited  Thebes  the  second 
time,  his  empress  was  disappointed  at  not  hearing  the  musical 
sounds,  but  on  her  hinting  threats  of  the  emperor’s  displeasure, 
her  curiosity  was  gratified  on  the  following  morning. 

These  statues  were  not,  as  would  be  the  first  impression  of 
the  ordinary  visitor,  isolated  monuments  of  Theban  magnifi- 
cence, but  stood  in  advance  of  an  extensive  temple,  of  which 
few  vestiges  now  remain,  at  “ Kom  el  Hattan,  or  the  mound  of 
sandstone,”  in  the  rear ; and  to  the  south  of  them.  With  this 
they  were  connected  by  a long  Dromos,  or  avenue,  which,  with 
other  statues,  Wilkinson  supposes  to  have  extended  across  the 
western  portion  of  the  city,  and  to  have  communicated  with 
Luxor  by  a ferry  across  the  Nile,  and  thus  to  have  been  a 
main  thoroughfare  of  ancient  Thebes.  What  a vision  of 
past  magnificence,  of  warlike  or  religious  pageants  passing  to 
and  fro,  does  this  bring  up  befox-e  us  ! How  many  successive 
generations  must  have  trodden  the  pavement  of  this  royal 
street ! At  that  period,  the  level  of  the  inundated  plain,  as  well 
as  of  the  bed  of  the  river,  of  course  was  much  lower  than  at 
present ; so  that  the  inundation  did  not  extend  so  far  back  tow- 
ard the  western  mountain,  nor,  as  now,  cover  the  bases  of  the 
statues  which  rest  on  the  sand,  with  a deposit  several  feet 
deep. 

It  will  be  observed  in  the  drawing,  that  the  upper  half  of  the 
Vocal  Memnon  (the  nearer  statue)  has  been  built  up  again  in 
huge  layers  of  masonry.  Strabo  was  told  that  its  previous  de- 
struction was  caused  by  the  shock  of  an  earthquake ; but  there 
can  be  little  doubt,  that  it  was  the  work  of  Cambyses  when  he 
ravaged  the  adjacent  Memnonium.  The  dimensions  of  the 
statues  are  about  the  same  as  those  of  the  wonderful  one  at  the 
Memnonium  already  figured,  but  they  must  yield  to  that  in  the 
solidity  of  the  material,  these  being  single  blocks  of  sandstone 
instead  of  Syenite  granite.  To  this  more  friable  material  the 
comparative  antiquity  of  their  appearance  is  much  owing.  On 
each  side  of  the  leg  is  a female  statue,  and  on  the  side  a repre- 


PITS  AND  TOMBS  OF  GORNOU. 


183 


sentation  of  the  god  Nilus,  bending  the  stalks  of  two  water- 
plants,  indicative  of  the  upper  and  lower  country,  above  a 
tablet  containing  the  two  cartouches  of  Amunothph  III.,*  and 
supposed  to  indicate  his  sovereignty  over  the  upper  and  lower 
country.  There  is  also  a line  of  hieroglyphics  down  the  back 
of  the  statue. 

Such  are  the  principal  objects  (for  they  are  not  all)  on  the 
western  bank  of  the  Nile,  of  which  an  idea  can  be  conveyed  to 
the  reader  by  the  aid  of  the  pencil.  As  I have  said  before, 
these  isolated  monuments  are  far  from  giving  an  adequate  im- 
pression of  Thebes.  They  stand  on  the  edge  of  a vast  funereal 
field,  extending  from  the  cultivated  alluvium  to  the  sandstone 
mountain  which  bounds  the  plain  intersected  by  obscure  and 
dangerous  paths  among  yawning  mummy-pits  • and  graves. 
Ranges  of  tombs  hewn  in  the  mountain  above,  some  greater  in 
extent  even  than  those  of  the  kings,  penetrate  far  into  the 
bowels  of  the  mountain ; chamber  after  chamber,  and  passage 
after  passage,  whose  walls,  as  the  light  is  applied  to  them, 
kindle  into  vivid  epitome  of  the  life  of  the  old  Egyptian  world, 
— its  religious  solemnities,  its  familiar  usages,  its  progress  from 
the  cradle  to  the  grave,  its  scenes  of  daily  domestic  life,  of  high 
festivity  and  solemn  funeral,  with  the  passage  of  the  dead  into 
the  realms  of  futurity,  the  judgment,  and  the  mysterious  trans- 
migration of  the  soul.  Who  could  suspect  that  all  this  is  re- 
vealed to  us  in  these  wonderful  sepulchers,  which  externally 
appear  but  holes  in  the  sandy  rock  ? and  how  strange  and  sad 
is  it  to  come  forth  to  the  light  of  day  after  this  long  and  ab- 
sorbing converse  in  these  dusky  recesses  with  the  past  life  of 
this  great  people,  and  behold  the  wrecks  of  their  proud  city 
wide-spread  over  the  empty,  desolate  plain  ! 

The  pits  also  in  which  are  deposited  the  mummied  remains  of 
the  ancient  inhabitants  are  among  the  most  singular  spectacles. 
Some  of  the  bodies  are  merely  dried,  but  those  of  the  more 
wealthy  classes,  enveloped  in  a shroud  of  fine  linen,  with  aro- 

* Wilkinson. 


184 


MUMMIFICATION. 


rnatic  gums,  are  heaped  together  in  horrid,  grotesque  confusion, 
like  the  skeletons  and  heaps  of  bones  in  a neglected  charnel- 
house.  The  resurrection-men  of  Gornou,  who  house  themselves 
in  the  tombs  cut  in  the  rock,  are  regularly  employed  in  rifling 
these  pits  in  quest  of  articles  to  be  sold  to  travelers  ; sometimes 
an  entire  mummy  in  its  case  is  carried  off’  to  be  sold  intact, 
others  are  rent  to  pieces  in  quest  of  the  ornaments  which  may 
have  been  buried  with  their  possessors  ; the  painted  case  or 
prepared  linen  which  may  have  enveloped  the  body  is  ruth- 
lessly torn  off,  and  the  shriveled,  ghastly  carcasses  are  scattered 
about  in  all  directions  in  the  sand,  generally  dismembered. 
Every  thing  seems  given  up  to  ruthless  havoc,  and  yet  the 
stock  of  plunder  is  unexhausted,  for  in  these  cemeteries  a whole 
nation  is  entombed. 

“ Mummification,”  says  Gliddon  in  his  interesting  essay,  from 
which  these  particulars  are  compressed,  “ preceded,  in  all  proba- 
bility, the  building  of  the  pyramids  and  tombs,  because  vestiges 
of  mummies  have  been  found  in  the  oldest  of  these,  and,  in  fact, 
the  first  mummies  were  buried  in  the  sand  before  the  Egyptians 
possessed  the  necessary  tools  for  excavating  sepulchers  in  the 
rock.  In  the  time  of  Joseph  the  art  was  not  new.  Manetho 
and  Clemens  Alexandrinus  mention  circumstances  which  lead 
us  to  infer  the  existence  of  manuscript  treatises  on  the  art 
between  3000  and  5000  years  ago,  which  is  confirmed  by 
passages  in  the  “Book  of  the  Dead”  at  Turin,  translated  by  Dr. 
Lepsius.  The  practice  continued  long  after  the  Christian  era, 
and  some  of  the  fathers  made  it  the  object  of  their  anathemas. 
It  did  not  cease  entirely  till  the  seventh  century  after  Christ, 
or  the  Muslim  invasion.  Thus  we  may  suppose  that  mummi- 
fication has  subsisted  for  a period,  in  round  numbers,  of  some 
4000  years.  The  number  of  mummies  are  between  four  and 
five  hundred  millions.  The  earliest  mummy-cases,  like  that,  for 
instance,  of  king  Mencheres  in  the  British  Museum,  were  ex- 
tremely simple,  and  the  bodies  were  prepared  with  natron,  or 
dried  in  ovens,  and  wrapped  in  woolen  cloth,  linen  being 


GLIDDON  ON  MUMMIFICATION. 


185 


then,  probably,  unknown.  In  tbe  mummies  of  the  12th 
dynasty,  this  material  is  already  in  use.  The  bodies  are  par- 
tially gilded,  and  great  luxury  introduced  in  the  decorations  ; 
and  thus  the  relative  antiquity  of  mummies  can  be  deduced 
from  the  successive  fashions  of  embalmment.  Of  these  the 
epoch  of  bitumen  forms  a grand  era,  at  the  15th  dynasty  ; for 
then  this  substance,  which  was  unknown  to  the  Egyptians  prior 
to  the  conquests  of  Assyria  by  the  early  Pharaohs  of  the  15th 
dynasty,  began  to  be  used.  Mr.  Birch  has  discovered  data 
which  indicate  very  distinctly  the  epoch  when  bitumen  began 
to  be  used  in  mummification.  Among  the  articles  of  tribute 
exacted  by  Thothmes  III.,  in  the  16th  century  before  Christ, 
from  the  conquered  princes  of  Nineveh,  Shinar,  Naharine, 
Babel,  and  the  Mesopotamian  provinces,  which  are  recorded  on 
the  tablet  of  Karnak,  now  in  the  Louvre,  it  is  said  that  the 
chief  of  the  country  brought,  among  other  tributes  to  the  Pha- 
raoh, 2050  ingots  of  bitumen.  Now  as  bitumen  is  an  Asiatic 
production,  abundant  near  the  Euphrates,  it  was  inaccessible 
to  the  Egyptians  until  Assyria  was  conquered  by  the  Pharaohs 
of  the  18th  dynasty.” 

“ The  dried  corpse  of  the  humble  quarryman  was  merely 
saturated  with  natron,  baked  in  an  oven,  swathed  sometimes  in 
woolen  rags,  and  covered  with  palm  branches  and  papyrus 
matting  ; while  on  the  body  of  the  wealthy  priest  were  lavished 
the  most  expensive  spices  and  perfumes ; after  which  it  was 
wrapped  in  many  hundred  yards  of  the  finest  tissue,  and  placed 
in  three  coffins,  all  sculptured,  painted,  gilded,  and  enameled, 
with  a superfluity  of  extravagance.  The  great  majority,  how- 
ever, belonged  to  the  middle  class.” 

“ Every  provincial  temple  was  provided  with  an  establish- 
ment for  the  purpose  of  mummification.  The  bodies  were 
delivered  to  the  priests  to  be  embalmed,  and  after  seventv  days 
restored  to  their  friends  to  be  carried  to  the  place  of  deposit. 
The  paintings  in  the  tombs  represent  funeral  processions,  in 
which  we  see  the  mummy  transported  in  cars,  or  borne  on 

24 


186 


THE  ARABIAN  SIDE. 


sledges  drawn  by  oxen,  and  attended  by  mourning  friends. 
The  mummies  of  Jacob  and  Joseph  were  thus  carried  from 
Egypt  into  the  land  of  Canaan.” 

Few  things  are  more  impressive  than  to  wander  among  this 
Necropolis  of  Thebes,  where  the  mighty  and  the  rich  lie 
blended  with  inferior  dust ; bewildered  among  this  chaos  of 
tombs,  and  mummy  pits,  and  yawning  chasms,  among  which 
you  must  cautiously  pick  your  way,  when  the  sole  sound  is  the 
savage  yelling  of  the  dogs  of  Gornou  echoing  wildly  among  the 
cliffs ; when  the  sun,  sinking  behind  the  western  mountain, 
touches  with  its  red  beams  the  summit  of  the  Memnonium,  and 
the  long  shadows  from  the  hoary  colossi  stretch  across  the 
desolate  plain ; and  you  hasten  away  from  the  inhospitable 
shore  to  regain  the  shelter  and  comfort  of  your  little  boat — 
your  floating  home  upon  the  Nile. 

Having  explored,  though  very  imperfectly,  the  wonders  of 
the  western  suburb,  when  the  sun  had  hardly  risen  we  hoisted 
our  lateen  sails  and  crossed  over  from  the  Libyan  to  the  Arabian 
side  of  the  Nile.  As  we  neared  the  temple  of  Luxor  the 
golden  light  slanted  through  its  massive  columns,  which  were 
finely  reflected  in  the  still  waters  of  the  river.  The  Fellahs 
from  the  village  had  come  down  to  fill  their  water-skins,  which 
were  arranged  on  the  backs  of  camels,  and  the  buffaloes  had 
already  taken  to  the  cooling  stream,  in  which  they  immersed 
themselves  till  only  the  tips  of  their  noses  and  horns  were  visible. 

Our  approach  was  not  unobserved,  and  hardly  had  the  little 
vessel  landed  at  the  old  Roman  pier  in  the  distance  of  our  view, 
before  we  were  boarded  by  the  ugliest  as  well  as  most  im- 
portunate Ghawazee  or  dancing-girls  we  had  yet  met  with,  to- 
gether with  guides  and  donkey-boys,  all  equally  eager  to  devote 
their  several  talents  to  our  immediate  gratification.  It  was  with 
some  difficulty  we  got  rid  of  these  troublesome  visitors,  and 
advanced  toward  the  village.  A chorus  composed  of  importu- 
nate cries  for  beckshish  and  a fierce  yelling  of  dogs,  saluted  us 


♦ 

I 


OBELISK  AND  PROPYLON, 


I 


THE  PROPYLON  OF  LUXOR.  187 

on  our  way  to  the  temple,  an  ignoble  welcome  to  this  scene  of 
majestic  ruin.  From  its  beautiful  situation  on  a rising  ground 
above  the  Nile,  the  temple  of  Luxor  must  have  had  a singularly 
fine  effect  in  its  pristine  perfection,  but  it  is  now  perhaps  the 
least  interesting  of  all  the  buildings  of  Thebes,  being  so  dis- 
guised by  the  mud  hovels  and  paltry  buildings  of  the  modern 
village,  clustered  around  the  base  of  the  columns  or  piled  upon 
the  tops  of  the  colonnades,  that  few  portions  assume  any  grandeur 
of  effect.  The  view  I have  selected  will  illustrate  these  remarks, 
and  give  an  idea  of  the  great  extent  of  the  edifice,  the  details  of 
which  I shall  not  attempt  to  describe.  One  noble  group  of 
objects,  however,  must  not  be  dismissed  without  especial  notice 
— the  celebrated  obelisk  and  propylaea,  or  gateway  towers, 
through  which  lay  the  approach  to  the  courts  of  the  temple 
within,  and  of  which  the  camera  drawing  will  I hope  convey  an 
accurate  impression.  Of  the  two  obelisks  of  red  granite  which 
formerly  stood  here,  one  now  embellishes  the  Place  de  la 
Concorde  at  Paris ; the  other,  though  deeply  buried  in  sand,  is 
one  of  the  finest  monuments  of  Thebes  ; the  depth  of  the 
hieroglyphics,  about  2 inches,  is  unusual,  and  gives  to  them  an 
extraordinary  relief  and  sharpness.  Two  sitting  statues  of 
Rameses  II.,  also  half  covered  with  sand,  appear  behind  the 
obelisks  and  add  much  to  the  grandeur  of  the  entrance  ; the  dark 
gray  hue  of  the  granite  contrasts  finely  with  the  sand,  and  the 
puny,  squalid  figures  passing  and  repassing,  give  a vastness 
and  solemnity  to  those  colossal  wrecks.  Behind  towers  a noble 
propylon,  though  its  effect  is  much  impaired  by  the  ruin 
of  the  bold  cornice  which  gave  it  so  grand  and  imposing  a 
termination ; its  immense  level  fapade  is  crowded  with  the  in- 
cidents of  a tumultuous  battle  scene,  the  stone  is  alive  with  the 
shock  of  warring  squadrons  ; on  one  compartment  the  triumph- 
ant king  is  driving  his  chariot  upon  hosts  of  flying  enemies ; on 
the  other,  he  is  represented  after  victory,  seated  on  his  throne, 
the  vanquished  monarch  bound  to  his  chariot-wheels  awaits 
the  pleasure  of  his  conqueror ; other  suppliants  bend  before 


188 


APPROACH  TO  KARNAK. 


him,  and  below  appears  a sad  array  of  fated  captives.  Terror 
and  inexorable  sternness  are  the  qualities  with  which  the 
sculptor  has  evidently  labored  to  invest  his  hero.  This  is  the 
most  elaborate  among  the  number  of  similar  scenes  at  Thebes, 
but  it  is  so  high  above  the  ground  that  its  details  are  not  to  be 
made  out  with  ease,  and  the  effect  of  the  sculpture  is  much  im- 
paired by  the  lines  of  the  masonry.  Still  it  is  indeed  mag- 
nificent. 

Leaving  Luxor,  I now  mounted  on  a donkey,  and  struck 
across  the  plain,  which  was  formerly  covered  with  the  buildings 
of  the  city,  toward  Karnak,  the  last  and  crowning  marvel  of 
all  Thebes.  An  avenue  about  a mile  in  length  formerly  con- 
ducted from  Luxor,  bordered  by  a double  row  of  sphynxes,  of 
which  few  traces  now  remain.  There  must  have  been  some- 
thing very  awful  and  impressive  in  this  long  avenue  of  these 
sacred  and  mysterious  figures,  uniting  the  head  of  a human  be- 
ing to  the  body  of  a lion,  emblematic  of  the  union  of  wisdom 
and  power — like  the  long  avenues  of  upright  stones  which  led 
to  the  rude  Druidical  temples  of  Avebury  on  the  Wiltshire 
downs,  it  must  have  prepared  the  mind  of  the  worshiper  for 
the  subduing  grandeur  of  the  more  sacred  inclosures  to  which 
it  led.  None  of  these  singular  statues  now  remain  perfect,  but 
here  and  there  a fragment  appears.  Following  this  long  and 
majestic  approach,  we  reach  at  length  a point  at  which  the  first 
view  of  Karnak  burst  upon  us.  A noble  pylon,  or  gateway,  oc- 
cupies the  center  of  the  field  of  ruin  ; behind  it  is  seen  the  small 
temple  built  by  Rameses  IV.  ;•  to  the  right,  among  palm-trees, 
appear  the  remains  of  a majestic  propylon;  which  formed  the 
entrance  to  a succession  of  ruined  courts  by  which  the  great 
temple  was  approached  on  this  side,  of  which,  quite  in  the  back- 
ground, a small  portion  is  visible,  together  with  its  obelisk. 
The  pylon,  a specimen  of  the  later  or  Ptolemaic  style,  is  cer- 
tainly one  of  the  very  finest  specimens  of  Egyptian  architecture 
remaining.  Nothing  can  exceed  the  majestic  simplicity  of  its 
colossal  proportions — the  beautiful  relief  of  the  cornice.  It 


APPROACH  TO  KARKAK. 


THE  WINGED  GLOBE. 


189 


stands  erect  and  lonely  among  the  wrecks  around  with  a pecu- 
liarly noble  effect,  beyond  perhaps  that  of  any  single  monument 
in  Thebes ; and  in  passing  under  it  our  ideas  are  raised  to  a 
height  of  wonder,  and  prepared  for  the  colossal  scale  and  vast 
extent  of  the  field  of  ruins  to  which  it  gives  access.  Its 
sculptures,  however,  are  not  to  be  compared  with  those  of  an 
earlier  date.  The  majestic  cornice  is  ornamented  with  a fine 
specimen  of  the  “ Winged  Globe,”  so  universal  in  Egypt,  a 
beautiful  emblem,  to  adopt  Gliddon’s  description,  of  Providence 
overshadowing  the  land  of  the  Nile.  “ The  central  disk  of  the 
sun,  allegorical  of  physical  and  celestial  light,  and  surmounted 
by  the  ram’s  horn,  symbolical  of  Amun  Ivnum — divine  in- 
telligence, is  flanked  by  the  wings  of  Maut — the  beneficent 
mother,  or  more  probably  of  the  Scarabseus,  or  sacred  beetle, 
symbol  of  Ivheper — the  Creator  sun.  From  the  central  solar 
disk  depend  two  crowned  royal  asps,  symbolical  of  sovereignty, 
— the  red  crown  of  terrestrial,  and  the  white  of  celestial  do- 
minion, and  the  cruces  ansatee,  or  ‘ taus,’  hanging  by  their  necks, 
typifying  eternity.  In  the  literal  Hebrew  text,  Isaiah  apostro- 
phizes Egypt,  (ch.  xviii.  1,)  ‘ Ho!  land  of  the  winged  (Globe).’  ” 
The  small  temple  in  the  rear  of  this  gate  will  not  long  detain 
us  from  the  more  imposing  ruins  of  the  Great  Temple.  To  this 
immense  pile,  the  work  of  successive  ages,  there  are,  of  course, 
different  entrances  ; but  the  principal  one,  and  that  by  which 
the  extent  and  symmetry  of  the  plan  is  best  understood,  is  by 
the  colossal  propylon  facing  the  river  : and,  looking  across  tow- 
ard the  temple  at  Gornou,  a line  of  sphynxes  also  led  up  a 
rising  ground  to  the  vast  propylon,  the  largest  in  Egypt,  which, 
like  two  mighty  towers  of  rude  masonry,  formed  a grand  and 
impressive  approach.  From  its  summit,  or  the  top  of  the  walls 
which  connect  it  with  the  great  court,  a view  is  obtained,  which, 
in  its  full  extent,  must  baffle  all  description, — there  is  nothing 
like  it  even  in  Thebes, — not  one  alone,  but  a perfect  wilderness  of 
temples,  courts,  propylaea,  gateways,  and  obelisks,  extends  around. 
Some,  buried  under  the  ruins  of  ages,  yawn  from  beneath  like 


190 


GENERAL  VIEW  OF  KARNAK. 


caverns  ; others  stand  erect  in  towering  grandeur,  part  perfect, 
and  elsewhere  hurled  as  if  by  thunderbolts  into  chaotic  confu- 
sion. Beyond  the  main  mass  of  the  great  temple,  the  heart  of 
ancient  Thebes,  others  indistinctly  appear,  with  the  numerous 
propylaea  which  gave  access  to  them,  and  the  avenues  by  which 
they  were  united  to  the  principal  edifice,  receding  on  all  hands 
with  an  effect  of  bewildering  grandeur.  Add  to  this  the  out- 
stretched lonely  plain  beyond,  with  its  groves  of  palm  inter- 
sected by  the  river,  and  the  distant  mountains  and  temples  and 
countless  tombs  of  the  Libyan  suburb  on  the  opposite  bank  ; 
and  some  faint  idea  may,  perhaps,  be  formed  of  this  extra- 
ordinary wilderness  of  ruin,  and  of  the  feeling  of  astonishment 
it  awakens  in  the  mind  of  the  spectator. 

To  attempt  any  detailed  and  minute  description  of  this  ir- 
regular assemblage  of  sacred  edifices  would  be  useless  in  a 
work  of  this  nature,  which  rather  seeks  to  convey  the  impres- 
sion occasioned  by  a few  of  the  more  remarkable  objects  than 
to  enter  into  details  ; moreover,  without  a plan  the  most 
elaborate  description  of  this  nature  would  be  absolutely  unin- 
telligible. Even  with  the  admirable  survey  of  Wilkinson,  with 
which  every  one  should  be  provided,  lying  before  me  as  I write, 
the  plan  appears  so  confused,  that  memory  can  not  retain  more 
than  a few  of  its  more  salient  points.  This  spot  appears  to  have 
been  the  most  sacred  in  Thebes.  To  the  original  temple,  early 
as  Osirtesen  II.,  which  was  of  small  dimensions,  additions  were 
continually  made,  till  it  assumed  a vastness  and  splendor  un- 
equaled by  any  other  monument  in  the  city.  Other  temples 
were  erected  in  the  vicinity  of  this  most  sacred  site,  and  succes- 
sively united,  by  avenues  of  sphynxes  and  majestic  propylaea  and 
courts,  with  the  principal  edifice,  till  the  whole  formed  a maze 
of  religious  edifices  through  which  the  ancient  Egyptian  must 
have  wandered  with  awe,  and  which,  in  their  original  perfec- 
tion, with  the  gorgeous  ceremonial  of  the  worship  performed 
in  them,  must  have  produced  a soul-subduing  effect  upon  this 
superstitious  people. 


First  Court 


/ 


' 

t 


FIRST  COURT  OF  KARNAK. 


191 


But  to  return  to  the  great  propylon.  The  first  view  pre- 
sented shows  the  great  court  to  which  it  gives  access  ; in  the 
fore-ground  is  the  wall  forming  its  boundary  ; the  corresponding 
one  opposite  is  seen  attached  to  the  base  of  the  propylon,  and, 
running  up  to  a small  temple,  let  in,  as  it  were,  to  the  court, 
the  external  wall  of  which,  just  beyond,  contains  a sculptured 
representation  of  Sheshonk,  the  Shishak  of  the  Book  of  Kings, 
leading  his  prisoners,  among  which  it  is  supposed  are  the  cap- 
tive Jews  from  Jerusalem,  which  was  taken  by  this  monarch. 
In  the  open  distant  ground  beyond  this  side  of  the  court,  ap- 
pear in  perspective,  on  the  right  hand,  the  propylaea  of  another 
small  temple  of  the  Ptolemaic  period,  with  the  noble  gateway 
beyond,  by  which  we  approached ; and  farther  to  the  left,  a 
succession  of  ruined  propylaea,  through  which  was  another 
approach  to  the  great  temple  from  a smaller  one  beyond. 
Another  small  temple  standing  in  this  court  is  seen  buried  at 
the  right-hand  corner  of  the  view  under  the  accumulated  ruin 
of  ages.  A noble  row  of  columns,  of  which  only  one  is  standing, 
formed  a solemn  avenue  of  approach  across  the  court  from  the 
external  propvlon  to  the  inner  one,  one  side  of  which  is  shat- 
tered and  falling,  and  its  vast  blocks  are  hurled  one  upon  an- 
other in  wild  confusion,  as  though  by  some  convulsion.  Through 
this  second  propylon  we  pass  under  a ruined  vestibule  and  lofty 
gate  which  formed  the  front  of  the  Great  Hall ; and  here  seating 
ourselves  among  the  fallen  blocks,  the  columns  of  this  majestic 
ruin  burst  upon  us  in  long  perspective,  with  the  obelisk  and 
gateways  extending  toward  the  distant  sanctuary,  and  other  still 
more  remote  buildings.  So  bewildering  are  all  these  details  that 
I can  scarcely  hope  to  give  but  a very  general  idea  of  them. 

We  had  spent  so  much  time  in  the  examination  of  Luxor, 
and  of  the  other  portions  of  Karnak,  that  the  evening  was  ad- 
vanced when  we  arrived  at  the  Great  Hall.  The  shadows  were 
creeping  solemnly  through  the  intricate  recesses  of  its  forest  of 
columns,  but  the  red  light  rested  for  a while  upon  their  beauti- 
ful flower-shaped  capitals,  the  paintings  upon  which,  scarred  and 


192 


TWILIGHT  IN  THE  GREAT  HALL. 


worn  as  they  are  by  the  accidents  of  3000  years,  still  display, 
under  a strong  light,  much  of  their  original  vividness.  It  is 
a perfect  wilderness  of  ruin,  almost  outrunning  the  wildest 
imagination  or  the  most  fantastic  dream.  We  paced  slowly 
down  the  central  avenue.  The  bases  of  the  columns  are  buried 
among  the  fallen  fragments  of  the  roof  and  a mass  of  superin- 
cumbent earth  ; from  his  hiding-place  amid  which  the  jackal 
began  to  steal  forth,  and  wake  the  echoes  of  the  ruins  with  his 
blood-curdling  shriek ; while  the  shadowy  bat  flitted,  spirit- 
like, from  dusky  pillar  to  pillar.  From  the  center  of  the  hall, 
whichever  way  we  looked  through  the  deepening  gloom,  there 
seemed  no  end  to  the  labyrinthine  ruins.  Obelisks  and  columns, 
some  erect  in  their  pristine  beauty,  others  fallen  across,  and 
hurled  together  in  hideous  confusion,  forming  wild  arcades  of 
ruin  ; enormous  masses  of  prostrate  walls  and  propylaea,  seemed 
to  have  required  either  to  construct  or  to  destroy  them  the  power 
of  a fabled  race  of  giants.  Pillars,  obelisks,  and  walls  of  this 
immense  hall,  were  covered  with  the  forms  of  monarchs  who 
reigned,  and  of  the  gods  who  were  once  worshiped  within  it. 
Involuntarily  the  mind  goes  back,  in  gazing  on  them,  to  the 
period  of  its  original  splendor,  when  Rameses  in  triumph  re- 
turned from  its  oriental  conquests, — pictures  the  pile  in  all  its 
completeness,  the  hall  of  a hundred  and  thirty  columns  with  its 
superb  roof,  glittering  in  all  the  vivid  beauty  of  its  paintings, 
thronged  with  monarchs,  and  priests,  and  worshipers,  and 
devoted  to  splendid  and  gorgeous  ceremonies. 

The  impression  produced  by  Egyptian  architecture,  and  par- 
ticularly by  this  stupendous  hall,  as  well  as  by  the  mute  forms 
which  gaze  upon  us  from  the  walls,  is  one  of  profound  solemnity 
rather  than  the  admiration  of  beauty.  There  is  none  of  the 
divine  intellectual  harmony  of  Grecian  art.  We  are  awed  by 
the  vastness  and  simplicity  of  the  temples,  and  by  the  abstruse 
symbols  of  the  Egyptian  religion  with  which  they  are  covered. 
It  has  been  remarked  that  this  feeling  grows  upon  the  traveler 
as  he  remains  in  Egypt.  Every  thing  that  he  falls  in  with 


RELIGION  OF  THE  EGYPTIANS. 


193 


tends  to  deepen  it,  to  convince  him  that  he  is  gazing  upon  the 
works  of  a great  and  thoughtful  people,  whose  “ wisdom”  was 
proverbial  in  the  most  ancient  times.  Like  the  old  pilgrims  of 
Greece,  who  came  to  Egypt  to  study  its  science  and  religion, 
and  who  departed  full  of  admiration  and  wonder ; the  trav- 
eler carries  away  from  the  sight  of  its  ruins  something  of  the 
same  awe-struck  and  reverential  spirit,  and  what  was  at  first 
regarded  as  a mere  spectacle  gradually  becomes  with  him  a 
serious  study. 

In  regard  to  the  religion  of  ancient  Egypt — the  learned 
priests  had,  about  the  Christian  era,  arrived  at  the  conception  of 
the  unity  of  God,  but  believing  this  idea  to  be  too  abstruse  for 
the  mass,  they  symbolized  the  different  attributes  of  Divinity  in 
the  form  of  different  gods,  which,  though  to  themselves  merely 
emblems,  were  the  objects  of  the  superstitious  veneration  of  the 
common  people.  Their  more  profound  doctrine  was  only  dis- 
closed to  those  initiated  into  the  mysteries.  Many,  however, 
are  inclined  to  doubt  whether  the  early  religion  of  the  Egyp- 
tians was  originally  any  thing  more  than  a gross  Polytheism,  or 
Manichaeism  ; that  it  was  not  till  a late  period  that  they  acquired 
the  sublime  idea  of  the  Divine  unity,  and  that  they  then  re- 
duced to  mere  symbols  what  before  were  so  many  independent 
objects  of  worship.  Such  as  it  was,  religion  was  interwoven 
with  every  thing  in  Egypt.  The  first  government  of  Thebes 
was  priestly,  and  when  it  became  a monarchy,  the  king  was 
always  invested  with  a sacerdotal  character.  We  see  him 
everywhere  upon  the  temples  represented  as  offering  sacrifices 
to  the  gods,  and  receiving  from  them  the  investiture  with  “ life 
and  power.”  A spirit  of  devotion  was  kept  alive  in  the  people 
by  a constant  round  of  religious  ceremonies,  a reference  of  every 
thing  to  the  gods.  A severe  morality  was  inculcated,  after 
death  the  actions  of  the  departed  were  weighed  before  Osiris, 
and  the  souls  of  the  wicked  condemned  to  inhabit  the  bodies  of 
obscene  and  unclean  animals,  till  after  their  allotted  period  of 
purification  was  fulfilled.  Every  contrivance  of  the  priests 

25 


194 


DETAILS  OF  THE  GREAT  HALL. 


tended  to  produce  a spirit  of  profound  reverence,  which,  how- 
ever, degenerated  into  a narrow  and  slavish  superstition. 

Amun,  the  presiding  deity  of  Thebes,  may,  as  Wilkinson  ob- 
serves, be  considered  under  two  distinct  characters, — as  Amun- 
re,  king  of  the  gods,  answerable  to  the  Grecian  Jupiter,  or  as 
Amunre  Generator.  Amun  with  Maut  and  Khonso  formed 
the  great  triad  of  divinities  worshiped  at  Thebes.  The 
forms  and  emblems  of  these  deities,  in  different  combinations, 
look  down  upon  us  from  every  part  of  the  temple.  Beside  the 
divinities  who  had  here  their  worship  and  their  oracles,  the 
city  of  Thebes  possessed  her  own  presiding  genius  or  god- 
dess, whose  emblems  were  discovered  by  Sir  Gardner  Wilkin- 
son in  his  examination  of  the  great  temple. 

Next  morning,  after  an  early  bi'eakfast,  I was  again  among 
the  ruins  of  the  Great  Hall,  which  I had  but  impei’fectly  surveyed 
the  previous  evening.  I remained  there  the  whole  day,  shifting 
from  the  shade  of  one  column  to  another  during  the  noontide 
heat.  Salem  sent  me  some  provisions  by  one  of  the  sailors.  I 
give  its  dimensions  from  Wilkinson,  with  a description  of  the 
rest  of  the  temple.  “It  measures  170  feet  by  329,  supported  by  a 
central  avenue  of  twelve  massive  columns,  66  feet  high  (without 
the  pedestal  and  abacus)  and  12  in  diameter,  beside  a hundred 
and  twenty-two  of  smaller,  or  rather  less  gigantic  dimensions,  41 
feet  9 inches  in  height,  and  27  feet  6 inches  in  circumference,  dis- 
tributed in  seven  lines  on  either  side  of  the  former.  The  twelve 
central  columns  were  originally  fourteen,  but  the  two  northern- 
most have  been  inclosed  within  the  front  towers  or  propylaea, 
apparently  in  the  time  of  Osirei  himself,  the  founder  of  the  hall. 
The  two  at  the  other  end  were  also  partly  built  into  the  project- 
ing wall  of  the  doorway,  as  appears  from  their  rough  sides,  which 
were  left  uneven  for  that  purpose.  Attached  to  this  are  two  other 
towers,  closing  the  inner  extremity  of  the  hall,  beyond  which 
are  two  obelisks,  one  still  standing  on  its  original  site,  the  other 
having  been  thrown  down  and  broken  by  human  violence. 
Similar  but  smaller  propylaea  succeed  to  this  court,  of  which  they 


View  of  the  Grand  Hall 


THE  SANCTUARY. 


195 


form  the  inner  side.”  This  is  the  spot  which  I have  selected 
for  a retrospective  view  of  the  Great  Hall,  the  obelisk  still 
standing,  but  the  propylaea  in  tire  fore-ground  a mass  of  utter 
ruin.  Still  following  the  intricate  plan  of  the  great  temple 
through  the  ruined  propylaea  in  the  fore-ground,  we  reach 
another  court  with  two  obelisks  of  larger  dimensions,  the  one 
now  standing  being  92  feet  high  and  8 square,  surrounded  by  a 
peristyle,  if  I may  be  allowed  the  expression,  of  Osiride  figures. 
Passing  between  two  dilapidated  propylaea,  you  enter  another 
smaller  area,  ornamented  in  a similar  manner,  and  succeeded  by 
a vestibule,  in  front  of  the  granite  gateways  that  form  the  facade 
of  the  court  before  the  sanctuary.  This  last  is  also  of  red 
granite,  divided  into  two  apartments,  and  surrounded  by  numer- 
ous chambers  of  small  dimensions,  varying  from  29  feet  by  16, 
to  16  feet  by  8.  The  walls  of  this  small  sanctuary,  standing 
on  the  site  of  a more  ancient  one,  are  highly  polished,  sculp- 
tured, and  painted,  and  the  ceiling  of  stars,  on  a blue  ground, 
the  whole  exquisitely  finished.  The  entire  height  of  the  hall, 
i.  e.  the  central  portion,  is  not  less  than  80  feet,  the  propylaea 
still  higher. 

The  imagination  is  no  doubt  bewildered  in  following  these 
numerous  details,  and  yet  much  is  left  undescribed  and  even 
unnoticed,  and  the  eye,  even  of  the  visitor,  more  than  satisfied 
with  seeing,  will  return  to  the  prominent  objects,  those  alone  of 
which  he  can  expect  to  retain  a vivid  recollection.  The  Great 
Hall  will  attract  his  attention  above  every  thing  else.  Of  its 
immensity  the  different  views  introduced  will,  I hope,  convey 
some  impression,  though  confessedly  a very  inadequate  one. 
Beside  the  grandeur  of  its  proportions,  he  will  be  struck 
with  the  elaborate  manner  in  which  every  part  was  sculptured 
and  painted,  with  representations  of  the  worship  of  the  chief 
deity  of  Thebes,  which,  emblematic  as  they  might  be  to  the 
learned,  to  the  common  people  must  have  had  a highly  debasing 
and  sensualizing  tendency.  Perhaps  the  finest  historical  sculp- 
tures at  Thebes  are  to  be  found  on  the  eastern  external  wall  of 


196 


SPLENDID  SCULPTURES. 


the  Great  Hall.  Here  the  genius  of  Egyptian  sculpture  appears 
to  have  reached  its  height,  and  to  approach  the  high  character 
of  Grecian  art,  and  we  admire  no  less  the  fertility  of  invention, 
masterly  execution,  and  expression  which  animates  the  several 
groups,  than  we  follow  out  with  interest  all  the  incidents  of 
the  different  wars  and  triumphs  of  the  Egyptian  monarchs,  so 
vividly  represented,  the  scene  of  which  Wilkinson  supposes  to 
have  been  in  Asia,  as  t^e  names  of  ‘ Canana’  and  ‘ Lemanon’  are 
deciphered  among  the  list  of  places.  Tablets  recording  similar, 
if  not  the  same  expeditions,  I remember  to  have  seen  in  Syria, 
one  by  the  road-side  at  Nahr  el  Kelb,  near  Beirout.  Rameses 
II.,  (supposed  by  Wilkinson  to  be  the  same  as  Sesostris,)  and 
his  father  Osirei,  are  the  great  heroes  of  these  exploits : famous 
in  war  and  splendid  in  peace,  they  spent  their  early  years  in 
extending  the  conquests  of  Egypt,  and  then  returned  to  Thebes 
to  commemorate  them  upon  the  walls  of  their  temples  and 
palaces,  equally  remarkable  for  the  grand  and  stern  simplicity 
and  massiveness  of  their  architecture,  which  is  the  best  type 
of  the  Egyptian  style,  and  for  the  vigorous  and  original  charac- 
ter of  the  decorative  bas-reliefs. 

We  were  fortunate  enough  to  reach  Karnak  when  the  moon 
was  near  the  full.  Already  bewildering  by  day  from  its  vast 
extent,  by  night  it  seemed  almost  illimitable.  Then  is  the  time 
to  wander  through  its  huge  propyleea  in  solemn  shadow ; its 
long  lines  of  wall  carved  with  the  achievements  of  ancient 
kings,  shadowy  specters  of  remote  history ; its  lofty  obelisks 
piercing  the  pure  and  intense  depths  of  the  nocturnal  sky  and 
confounding  their  hieroglyphics  with  the  stars  ; its  vast  avenues 
of  columns,  through  which  the  moonlight  forces  an  intricate 
pathway  ; some  in  deep  shade  with  their  edges  only  illuminated, 
others  basking  in  the  whitening  beams,  with  their  hieroglyphics 
and  paintings  almost  as  vivid  as  by  day.  Enormous  heaps  of 
ruin,  distant  gateway  towers  marking  the  avenues  of  approach, 
expand  mysteriously  beyond  the  reach  of  vision  ; while  the 
plain,  with  its  green  crops  and  palm-groves,  the  Nile,  like  a bar 


THIEVISH  BOATMEN". 


197 


of  silver  in  its  midst,  the  Libyan  suburb,  its  colossi,  and 
temples,  the  western  mountain  perforated  with  its  countless 
tombs,  faintly  relieving  from  the  starlit  sky,  complete  the  awful 
magnificence  of  the  picture. 

After  wandering  about  the  ruins,  our  rides  back  across  the 
moonlit  plain  to  Luxor  were  delightful.  As  we  approached 
the  lights  twinkled  amid  its  mud  huts,  and  we  caught,  as  we 
passed,  the  sounds  of  boisterous  merriment.  During  our  visits  to 
Karnak  the  Reis  and  sailors,  after  the  day’s  fast,  had  spent  their 
time  on  shore  between  the  dancing-girls  and  the  raki  bottle  ; to- 
night they  preferred  to  devote  their  reviving  energies  to  a little 
stealing.  For  the  sake  of  privacy  we  had  laid  the  boat  along- 
side an  inclosed  garden  which  came  down  to  the  river.  Above 
its  low  wall  arose  some  date-trees  covered  with  the  richest 
clusters,  which  had  attracted  their  cupidity  from  the  moment  of 
our  arrival.  The  proprietor,  however,  kept  so  close  a watch 
that  to  abstract  them  by  daylight  was  wholly  impossible.  I was 
sitting  in  the  little  cabin,  and  reducing  to  order  the  sights  of 
the  day,  when  I heard  a loud  outcry,  and  rushing  on  deck, 
found  the  proprietor  of  the  fruit,  who  furiously  pointed  to  the 
top  of  the  mast,  which  one  of  the  boatmen  had  ascended,  and 
down  which  he  was  gliding,  encumbered  with  his  luscious  spoil. 
The  culprit  was  taken  in  the  manner,  and  summary  justice  ad- 
ministered on  the  spot,  and,  at  my  desire,  by  Salem,  although, 
notwithstanding  his  ardent  piety,  I could  not  somehow  help 
suspecting  him  also  of  being  indirectly  concerned  in  the  theft. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THEBES  TO  ESNEH  AND  EDFOU. — ASSOUAN. — THE  CATARACTS. — PHILJS. — 
ABUSIMBAL. 

With  the  intention  of  passing  some  time  on  our  return,  ad- 
vantage was  taken  of  the  Etesian  wind  to  continue  our  southern 
progress.  The  temples  gradually  dwindled,  the  lofty  western 
mountain  lowered,  and  Thebes  faded  upon  the  rearward  ho- 
rizon. Landing  at  Hermonthis,  a visit  was  paid  to  its  small 
but  elegant  Ptolemaic  temple,  now  fast  falling  into  ruin.  Esneh, 
which  we  reached  next  day,  detained  us  for  some  hours.  The 
Reis  and  sailors  went  into  the  town  to  obtain  provisions,  and 
we  had  great  difficulty  in  getting  them  together.  There  were, 
in  fact,  potent  attractions  on  shore,  Esneh  being  the  head- 
quarters of  the  banished  dancing-girls,  who  flaunt  about  the 
bazaars  with  loose,  immodest  dresses,  and  dusky  cheeks  thickly 
covered  with  paint.  The  portico  of  the  temple  struck  us  as  the 
most  magnificent  specimen  of  the  Ptolemaic  style  in  Egypt. 
The  earth  has  almost  covered  up  the  exterior,  although  Me- 
hemet  Ali  has  cleared  out  the  inside,  into  which  you,  accord- 
ingly, have  to  descend.  The  columns  are  unusually  tall  and 
slender,  and  the  exquisite  variety  and  graceful  designs  of  the 
capitals,  all  formed  upon  the  type  of  different  plants  and  flow- 
ers of  the  country,  is  nowhere  surpassed,  if  equaled.  Esneh 
is  a town  of  some  little  consequence,  but,  like  Nile  towns  in 
general,  presents  nothing  to  interest  the  traveler  beyond  this 
splendid  portico ; and  as  soon  as  we  could  drive  on  board 
our  reluctant  sailors,  we  spread  our  sails  and  hastened  up 


Entrance  Court 


TEMPLE  OF  EDFOU. 


199 


the  river.  The  breeze  being  favorable,  we  did  not  land 
to  visit  the  very  curious  grottos  of  El  Kab  or  Eilythias,  of 
which  Miss  Martineau,  and  so  many  other  travelers,  have 
given  vivid  descriptions.  The  temple  of  Edfou,  however,  a 
very  striking  object  from  the  river,  tempted  us  awhile  on 
shore.  It  stands  on  rising  ground  not  far  from  the  Nile,  and 
as  the  external  wall  with  which  it  is  surrounded  is  entire, 
gives  us  a complete  idea  of  the  vast  size  and  massive 
grandeur  of  an  Egyptian  temple  in  its  state  of  completeness, 
serving  no  less  as  a fortress  and  a palace  for  the  sacerdotal 
caste,  than  as  a place  for  the  solemn  rites  of  religion.  We  ad- 
vanced through  a wretched  village  of  mud  hovels  swarming 
with  ragged  Fellahs,  and  beset  by  naked  children,  who  raised  a 
shrill  demand  of  “ beckshish  howaga,”  accompanied  by  the 
barking  of  a host  of  dogs,  who,  roused  by  our  arrival  from  dozing 
in  the  sun  upon  heaps  of  festering  filth,  joined  the  discordant 
chorus.  Thus  escorted  we  reached  the  magnificent  propylon, 
covered  with  gigantic  forms  of  mythological  and  regal  personages, 
who  seemed  to  look  down  impassive  and  contemptuous  upon 
the  din  and  dust  raised  by  the  degenerate  tenants  of  their  be- 
loved and  once  glorious  land.  Spite  of  the  sticks  of  dragoman 
and  boatmen,  some  of  the  more  active  contrived  to  glide  in  with 
us,  unperceived,  to  the  interior,  while  others,  climbing  like 
monkeys  to  the  top  of  the  corridors,  pursued  us  with  their 
impish  antics  and  importunate  clamor,  till,  their  position  being 
stormed,  they  were  driven  down  with  kicks  and  blows  into  the 
area  below,  raising  in  their  escape  whole  clouds  of  suffocating 
dust.  Meanwhile,  passing  between  the  solemn  gateway  towers, 
which  are  entirely  perfect,  we  entered  the  first  court,  which  is 
also  entire,  with  its  surrounding  corridor  supported  by  ranges  of 
light  Ptolemaic  pillars,  the  flat  roof  of  which  served  equally  as 
a promenade  or  vantage-ground  of  defense.  At  the  extremity 
of  this  court,  and  forming  the  vestibule  of  the  temple  itself,  is 
a magnificent  corridor,  now  almost  filled  with  accumulated 
earth,  but  with  the  beautiful  capitals  still  entire,  and  bright 


200 


VIEW  FROM  EDFOU. 


with  azure  and  green  as  when  first  from  the  painter’s  hand. 
The  annexed  engraving  is  a view  from  this  point,  looking  back 
to  the  entrance-towers,  and  a tolerably  complete  idea  may  be 
formed  from  it,  of  the  imposing  appearance  of  the  access  to  an 
Egyptian  temple  in  its  complete  state.  The  massive  capitals  of 
the  corridor  will  show  the  graceful  variety  already  noticed  in 
the  description  of  Esneh,  some  of  which  are,  to  our  thinking, 
more  beautiful  than  the  capitals  of  the  Greek  orders.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  interior  is  almost  filled  up  with  rubbish,  and, 
imperfectly  seen,  as  it  needs  must  be,  hardly  repays  the  trouble 
of  groping  through  heaps  of  dust  and  filth.  We  therefore  as- 
cended the  roof  of  the  corridors,  and  walked  round  great  part 
of  the  walls,  which  are  strong  and  lofty  as  those  of  a castle. 
Hence  we  could  peep  down  upon  the  miserable  mud-built 
hovels  of  the  modern  town,  into  its  foul,  narrow,  blind  passages, 
choked  up  with  half-naked  children  and  wolfish-looking  dogs  ; 
while  beyond,  the  green  variegated  crops  of  the  Nile  valley, 
dotted  with  graceful  groups  of  palms,  and  the  broad  river  roll- 
ing through  the  midst,  was  almost  painfully  in  contrast  with 
the  abject  wretchedness  and  degradation  of  its  human  tenants. 
Edfou  seen,  we  at  once  rejoined  our  boat,  and  sailing  on  by  the 
light  of  a glorious  evening,  reached  the  remarkable  pass  of 
Hagar  Silsilis,  or  “ the  Rock  of  the  Chain.”  This  is  the  only 
spot  all  the  way  from  the  sea,  where  the  river  is  bordered  on 
both  sides  by  a chain  of  lofty  precipices  coming  down  abruptly 
to  the  river,  and  contracting  its  current  into  a comparatively 
narrow  space.  Here  we  moored  for  the  night,  near  one  of  the 
ancient  grottoes  curiously  cut  in  the  face  of  the  crag,  and  early 
in  the  morning  were  ashore  to  explore  them.  Some  of  them 
are  of  very  ancient  date,  and  record  the  triunjphs  of  the  early 
Pharaohs  over  their  Ethiopian  enemies.  But  the  most  remark- 
able sign  at  Silsilis,  is  the  sandstone  quarries  on  both  sides  the 
river.  From  these  alone,  were  the  monuments  of  Egypt  totally 
destroyed,  we  might  have  inferred  their  vast  number  and  their 
colossal  proportions.  Their  extent  is  perfectly  amazing. 


i 


HAGAR  SILSHJS. 


201 


“ The  mountain,”  says  Olin,  for  an  extent  of  several  miles,  is 
cut  into  yawning  chasms  and  high,  threatening  precipices,  that, 
in  their  dimensions  and  variety  of  forms,  mimic  the  sublime 
workmanship  of  nature.  As  the  stone  immediately  on  this  bank 
of  the  river  was  porous,  and  less  adapted  to  architectural  pur- 
poses, passages  were  cut  through  these  useless  masses  into  the 
heart  of  the  mountain.  I did  not  measure  these  avenues,  but 
am  sure  that  several  of  them  are  nearly  half  a mile  in  length  by 
fifty  or  sixty  feet  wide  and  eighty  deep.  Many  large  masses 
remain  as  they  are  left  by  the  workmen,  and  all  the  processes  of 
quarrying  are  plainly  exhibited.”  These  excavations  form  a 
perfect  labyrinth,  and  are  supposed  by  Dr.  Olin  to  have  given 
shelter  to  the  persecuted  Christians,  from  the  crosses  that  are 
painted  in  different  places.  Some  idea  of  the  peculiarities  of 
this  remarkable  spot,  of  its  perforated  grottos,  decorated  with 
the  achievements  of  the  ancient  kings,  its  fantastic  rocks,  one 
of  which,  from  its  resemblance  to  a rude  pillar,  is  supposed  to 
have  originated  the  idea  of  a chain  being  thrown  across  from  it 
to  the  opposite  side,  together  with  the  immense  scale  of  the  ex- 
cavations on  the  eastern  or  Arabian  side,  may  be  formed  from 
the  annexed  wood-cut.  The  whole  scene  is  very  impressive, 


■2rt 


202 


ARRIVAL  AT  ASSOUAN. 


like  the  avenue  of  approach  to  some  new  region  of  wonders. 
Stemming  the  powerful  current  by  the  aid  of  our  broad  lateen 
sails  and  a strong  northerly  breeze,  we  opened  another  and 
wider  region  of  the  valley,  adorned  with  clustering  palm  groves, 
and  passing  the  temple  of  Ombos,  another  noble  specimen  of 
the  later  Egyptian  architecture,  flew  swiftly  on  toward  the 
cataracts.  A sudden  squall  from  the  east  brought  us  up  in  the 
midst  of  our  rapid  career,  the  sails  were  instantly  let  loose, 
which  saved  us  from  going  down,  and  with  great  difficulty  we 
made  the  shore,  and  tied  our  craft  fast  up  to  a group  of  mimosas. 
The  river  was  one  sheet  of  foam,  the  land  almost  obscured  by 
a whirlwind  of  sand,  which  penetrated  the  deepest  recesses 
of  the  palm  grove  where  we  sought  a temporary  refuge. 
Loosening  again  we  soon  came  in  sight  of  Assouan,  the  ancient 
Syene,  the  most  picturesque  spot,  with  the  exception  of  Philae, 
on  the  whole  course  of  the  Nile.  The  center  of  the  river, 
which  is  here  of  magnificent  breadth  and  volume,  is  occupied 
by  the  green  and  beautiful  island  of  Elephantine,  which 
gave  a title  to  an  early  dynasty  of  Egyptian  kings.  On  the 
right  is  a high  sandy  eminence  crowned  by  the  ruins  of  a con- 
vent ; on  the  left  the  precipitous  rock  of  Syene  projects  into 
the  river,  crowned  with  the  ruins  of  a Saracenic  fortress,  while 
more  distant  hills  of  barren  sand  are  dotted  with  tombs  and 
ruins  of  the  same  period.  There  is  no  other  place  on  the  river 
to  which  we  can  so  properly  apply  the  term  romantic. 

Here  then  we  are  700  miles  above  the  sea,  and  at  the  frontier 
post  of  ancient  Egypt  itself,  though,  as  it  is  hardly  necessary  to 
remind  the  reader,  the  dominions  of  the  Pharaohs  extended  far 
to  the  southward,  farther  perhaps  toward  the  unknown  sources 
of  the  Nile  than  is  usually  supposed.  Syene  was  garrisoned  at 
a later  period  by  the  Persians  and  Romans.  There  are,  how- 
ever, few  traces  of  that  remote  period  now  remaining,  either  at 
Assouan  or  Elephantine,  the  principal  monuments  being  of  the 
Saracenic  period,  coeval  with  the  conquest  of  Egypt  by  Amer. 

We  laid  our  boat  ashore  by  the  side  of  the  beautiful  palm 


VIEW  FROM  ASSOUAN. 


203 


grove  that  lines  the  bank  of  the  river  below  the  castle,  and  as 
the  sun  was  setting,  walked  up  to  visit  its  hoary  walls.  I know 
not  that  I ever  enjoyed  myself  more  while  upon  the  Nile.  The 
scene  from  this  rock  is  so  singular,  and  so  utterly  unlike  any 
thing  else  upon  its  course,  but  the  effect  was  proportionally 
grateful.  The  river  rushed  past  in  a succession  of  powerful 
whirls  and  eddies,  which  as  they  swept  along  glittered  in  the 
dying  sunbeams.  Set  in  the  midst  of  the  coil  of  the  troubled 
waters,  were  various  black-colored  fantastic  islets,  the  outposts 
of  the  cataracts,  and  Elephantine  with  its  verdant  groves.  It  was 
delightful  to  lie  down  and  listen  to  the  sound  of  the  rushing 
river  as  it  swept  under  the  hoary  rock — a low  and  solemn 
monotone,  to  look  up  into  the  deepening  glow  of  the  crimsoned 
sky,  to  inhale  an  atmospheric  softness  which  seemed  to  bathe 
the  soul  in  luxury  ; and  what  with  the  wildness  and  strangeness 
of  all  around,  the  feeling  of  remoteness  which  cleaves  to  “ far 
Syene,"  the  historical  associations  connected  with  it — the  old 
rock  of  Assouan  was  a place  from  which  it  was  difficult  to  tear 
oneself  away. 

Arrived  at  the  frontier  of  Egypt,  and  entering  upon  Nubia, 
we  find  not  only  a marked  geographical  division,  but  a different 
race  of  people.  The  Nubians  are  tall  and  slender  in  person — 
far  less  massive  in  build  than  the  Theban  Arabs.  There  is 
something  of  elegance  in  their  general  appearance,  and  the  cast 
of  their  features  is  rather  intellectual.  They  are  of  a soft  dusky 
black  or  bronze  tint,  with  a very  fine  skin,  and  they  delight  to 
oil  their  bodies,  and  to  load  their  sable  ringlets  with  unguents 
any  thing  but  odoriferous  to  the  European  nose.  Their  women 
have  often  elicited  the  rapturous  remarks  of  travelers,  in  whose 
eyes  they  move  about  like  so  many  sable  Venuses,  realizing  the 
description  of  our  mother  Eve,  as  being  when  “ unadorned, 
adorned  the  most,”  their  sole  costume,  in  this  serene  and  glowing 
climate,  being  an  apron  round  the  middle,  and  somewhat  of  the 
slenderest  too,  composed  of  loose  thongs  of  leather  decorated  with 
small  shells.  Thus  attired,  these  dusky  beauties  come  forth  from 


204 


NUBIAN  WOMEN. 


among  overshadowing  thickets  of  palm,  bearing  for  sale  elegant 
little  baskets  woven  by  them  of  corn-stalks  and  pieces  of  bark  ; 
while  the  men  produce  a warlike  array  of  shields  of  hippopota- 
mus hide,  slender  lances,  knotted  clubs,  and  other  little  imple- 
ments of  destruction,  which  they  are  accustomed  to  make  use 
of  in  settling  their  domestic  feuds. 

The  beauty  of  these  women  has  in  truth  been  somewhat  ex- 
aggerated, but  with  regard  to  the  freedom  with  which  it  is 
exhibited,  we  may  quote  the  remark  of  Bishop  Heber  in  speak- 
ing of  the  women  of  India : “ How  entirely  the  idea  of  indeli- 
cacy, which  would  naturally  belong  to  such  figures  as  those 
now  around  us  if  they  were  white,  is  prevented  by  their  being 
of  a different  color  to  ourselves.  So  much  are  we  children  of 
association  and  habit,  and  so  instinctively  and  immediately 
do  our  feelings  adapt  themselves  to  a total  change  of  cir- 
cumstances ; it  is  the  partial  and  the  inconsistent  only  which 
affects  us.” 

I was  prevented  by  indisposition  from  visiting  the  different 
objects  of  intei'est  at  Syene,  which  are  the  quarries  and 
Saracenic  monuments.  The  former  are  highly  interesting, 
containing  an  obelisk  left  on  the  spot  whence  it  was  chiseled. 
Wilkinson  thinks  that  an  attentive  scrutiny  of  the  Mohammedan 
remains  might  bring  to  light  important  evidence  as  to  the  an- 
tiquity of  the  pointed  arch,  of  which,  however,  the  oldest 
specimen  is  perhaps  the  mosque  of  Omar  at  Jerusalem.  There 
is  little  else  beside  the  romantic  character  of  the  place  to  detain 
the  traveler  at  this  old  frontier  town  of  Egypt,  which  has  been 
of  great  importance  as  a military  post,  in  connection  with 
Elephantine. 

I have  shown  more  compassion  to  the  reader  than  some 
travelers,  who  devote  a large  portion  of  their  pages  to 
“ chronicling”  their  petty  squabbles  and  the  annoyances  that 
may  have  befallen  them,  but  I can  not  pass  over  wholly  without 
notice  the  inivuity  of  my  worthless  Reis.  I have  already 
alluded  to  his  infidel  sensuality  in  the  matter  of  the  Ramadan ; 


FRONTIER  OF  EGYPT  AND  NUBIA 


FRONTIER  OF  EGYPT. 


205 


he  is  devoted  to  dancing-girls  and  raki,  and  proves  to  be,  like 
Dr.  Olin’s  captain,  with  whom  I really  believe  him  to  be 
identical,  “an  incompetent,  stupid,  and  desperately  lazy  man.” 
Our  native  agent  at  Keneh  had  already  suggested  the  bastinado, 
and  politely  offered  to  see  it  applied ; but  I could  not  consent  to 
deliver  him  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  governor,  and  now  the 
ungrateful,  indolent  villain  flatly  refused  to  take  me  across  the 
river  from  Assouan  to  the  opposite  side,  on  some  pretense  of 
“ rocks.”  This  time  I determined  on  trying  the  stimulus  of  a 
little  Arab  persuasion,  and  leaping  on  shore  with  my  firman, 
hurried  in  wrath  toward  the  governor’s ; but  I had  hardly  gone 
a dozen  paces,  when  the  worthless  fellow  came  running  after 
me,  embracing  my  knees,  professing  repentance,  and  promising 
reformation  in  the  most  abject  manner. 

He  returned  to  the  boat  unscathed,  and,  with  unwonted 
diligence,  took  an  oar  himself,  and  put  his  huge  carcass  into 
such  a state  of  activity,  that  in  very  brief  space,  and  in  spite  of 
the  “ rocks,”  we  landed  at  the  foot  of  the  high  sandy  bluff,  which 
I was  desirous  of  ascending.  About  half-way  up  are  the  ruins 
of  a convent,  and  on  the  summit  a small  tomb  or  mosque,  com- 
manding this  frontier  scene  of  Egypt  very  completely.  Here 
the  desert,  both  on  the  Libyan  and  Arabian  side,  comes  tumbling 
in  wild  heaps  and  billows  of  sand,  tempest-wrought  and  sun- 
blanched  into  fantastic,  dreary  shapes  and  hues,  up  to  the  bright 
blue  river,  which  keeps  on,  like  life  in  death,  in  evei'-glorious 
flow.  Reposing  on  its  bosom,  the  fertile  Elephantine  and  one 
or  two  other  large  islands,  conti'ast  their  bright  green  corn  and 
tufted  palms  with  the  prevailing  hue  of  the  sand,  the  hoary 
ruins  of  the  Sai'acenic  castle  of  Assouan  appear  on  its  rock,  and 
the  heights  beyond,  among  which  lie  the  celebi’ated  quarries, 
are  dotted  with  a few  ruined  tombs  and  mosques,  which  add 
the  melancholy  of  decayed  monuments  of  man’s  works  to  the 
eternal  bai’renness  of  nature.  This  view  gives  an  excellent 
though  somewhat  distant  idea  of  the  numerous  craggy  islets,  of 
every  form  and  size,  through  which  the  Nile  pours  the  treasures 


205 


ASCENT  OF  THE  CATARACTS. 


of  its  waters  to  fertilize  the  great  valley  of  Egypt,  extending 
hence  seven  hundred  miles  down  to  the  Mediterranean. 

On  our  way  back  we  touched  at  the  island  of  Elephantine, 
whose  present  appearance  is  very  different  from  its  ancient  one, 
its  site  having  been  once  occupied,  like  that  of  Philaea,*  by  sacred 
buildings,  of  which  but  a few  fragments  have  escaped ; the  prin- 
cipal of  them  being  a small  granite  gateway  of  the  time  of  Alex- 
ander, on  the  southern  part  of  the  island,  which  is  covered  with 
mounds  of  ruin.  The  greater  part  of  this  delightful  site  is  now 
overgrown  with  corn  and  interspersed  with  palm-groves. 

The  rising  Nile,  it  was  thought,  would  enable  us  to  float 
lightly  over  the  rocks  and  shoals  upon  which  boats  often  bump 
at  low  water;  accordingly  we  made  our  arrangements  for  ascend- 
ing the  river.  The  “ Captain  of  the  Cataracts,”  as  he  is  called,  a 
Nubian  from  the  village  of  Philae,  was  sent  for;  it  being  his 
business  (cum  privilegio ) to  insure  the  safe  passage  of  all  boats 
passing  and  repassing  them.  A bargain  was  soon  struck ; and 
early  in  the  morning  he  came  on  board  with  his  men.  His  ap- 
pearance at  once  inspired  confidence  in  his  capacity  and  resolu- 
tion ; he  stood  at  the  helm  a tall,  dignified  ebony  statue,  in  a long 
blue  robe  and  white  turban ; his  half-naked  men  he  stationed 
in  different  parts  of  the  boat,  our  own  crew  were  to  work  the 
sails  as  ordered,  and  under  such  a leader  they  seemed  inspired 
with  a degree  of  alacrity  very  different  from  that  ‘ laissez 
faire’  indifference  and  invincible  laziness  which  had  hitherto 
been  our  daily  torment.  On  one  of  the  brightest  of  tropical 
mornings  our  broad  sails  were  thrown  out  to  the  Etesian  wind ; 
we  flew  rapidly  through  the  narrow  strait  between  the  castled 
crag  of  Assouan  and  Elephantine,  and  soon  reached  the  out- 
posts of  that  maze  of  rocky  islets  through  which  the  noble  river 
forces  its  tumultuous  passage  from  Nubia  into  Egypt.  All  was 
now  attention ; as  we  entered  the  foaming  currents,  the  quick 
eye  of  the  master-pilot  glanced  from  rock  to  rock,  the  man  at 
the  bows  watched  the  turn  of  every  eddy ; quickly  and  dexter- 


LABYRINTH  OF  ISLANDS. 


207 


ously  our  course  was  changed — at'  one  moment,  our  huge  sails, 
bellowing,  straining  with  their  utmost  force  through  the  boiling 
torrent,  we  seemed  bearing  down  upon  a pile  of  granite,  against 
which  our  bark  would  have  crashed  like  an  egg-shell,  when  al- 
most touching  it  the  voice  of  the  Nubian  would  be  heard,  loud 
and  clear  above  the  roar  of  the  troubled  waters,  and  a sudden 
shift  of  our  canvas  would  bring  us  up  on  the  edge  of  a sandy 
shoal — nervous  work  enough  for  a few  minutes ; till  re-assured 
against  peril  by  the  calmness  and  dexterity  of  our  pilot,  we 
could  feel  enough  at  ease  to  enjoy  the  wild  and  exciting  scene 
around,  which  assumed  a new  aspect  with  every  turn  of  the 
helm.  It  would  seem  as  though  Osiris  and  Typhon,  princi- 
ples of  life  and  death — of  the  fertile  valley  and  the  arid  desert, 
seen  ever  side  by  side  in  this  wonderful  land,  had  met  in 
fiei’cest  conflict,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  coil  of  the  half-prisoned 
river,  left  traces  of  a doubtful  struggle  for  the  mastery.  Here 
rises,  sheer  from  the  flood,  a huge  pile  of  black  and  frowning 
basalt,  intermingled  with  rose-colored  syenite,  and  veined  with 
white  quartz  ; there  in  vivid  contrast  appears  some  green  island, 
covered  with  tangled  palms  and  scented  acacias  ; or  lovely  little 
islets,  bordered  with  a rim  of  the  whitest  and  finest  sand,  sprin- 
kled with  mimosas,  and  resounding  with  the  music  of  birds. 
Such  is  fair  Sehayl,  its  fragrant  groves  and  thickets  reposing 
with  an  aspect  so  poetical,  such  an  air  of  celestial  peacefulness, 
in  the  midst  of  surrounding  convulsion,  we  wonder  not  that  it 
should  have  been  held  sacred,  and  placed  under  the  . special 
protection  of  the  goddesses  Sate  and  Anouke,  the  Grecian  Juno 
and  Vesta.  The  multitude  of  these  obstructions,  wildly  thrown 
together,  and  of  every  size,  from  large  islands  to  single  rocks, 
scarce  peeping  above  the  roaring  current  at  this  season  of  the 
Nile’s  rise,  taxed  to  the  utmost  the  skill  and  attention  of  our  pilot. 
To  thread  such  a labyrinth  without  accident  seemed  impossible. 

Fully  to  complete  the  strangeness  of  the  picture  should  be 
added  the  feats  and  antics  of  the  denizens  of  this  extraordinary 
region,  some  of  which,  however,  we  did  not  happen  to  wit- 


208 


NUBIAN  DIVERS. 


ness.  “ Our  attention,”  says  Olin,  “ was  soon  attracted  to  two 
Nubian  boys,  who  pursued  us  in  quest  of  bucksheesh,  by  a 
species  of  navigation  more  simple  and  rude  than  our  own. 
They  had  bound  their  scanty  wardrobe  in  a bundle  upon  the 
top  of  their  heads,  and  seated  themselves  astride  a stick, — 
perhaps  six  inches  in  diameter,  and  five  feet  long,  the  forward 
end  a little  flattened  to  diminish  the  resistance  of  the  water ; 
they  used  their  hands  for  paddles,  and  with  this  ticklish  craft 
outsailed  us,  and  ran  across  our  track  at  pleasure.  Sometimes 
they  sat  upright,  extending  their  legs  before  them  close  to  the 
log ; they  would  lie  on  it  at  full  length,  one  behind  the  other, 
still  moving  with  undiminished  velocity.  I felt  some  concern 
for  their  adventure  at  first,  but  was  soon  relieved  of  my  appre- 
hension when  I saw  the  admirable  skill  with  which  they  re- 
tained their  difficult  position  and  guided  their  rolling  bark. 
After  amusing  themselves  and  us  for  a considerable  time,  and  re- 
ceiving the  bucksheesh,  they  returned  to  the  shore.  These  boys 
were  hardly  more  than  six  years  of  age.  Soon  after  we  witnessed 
another  specimen  of  the  aquatic  skill  of  this  amphibious  race : 
— half-a-dozen  young  men  and  well-grown  boys,  who  were 
upon  the  beach  near  us,  threw  off  their  clothes,  and,  running  at 
full  speed  over  the  rocks  for  more  than  a quarter  of  a mile,  to  a 
bluff  overlooking  the  falls,  plunged  into  the  foaming  torrent. 
They  were  borne  along  by  the  current  with  fearful  velocity, 
tossed  on  high  and  buried,  alternately,  by  its  fury ; they  dashed 
away  the  waves  nobly,  raising  their  hands  high  out  of  the  water 
at  every  stroke ; the  head  was  carried  very  low,  with  the  face 
apparently  in  the  water,  to  avoid  the  greater  resistance  by  the 
breast.  It  was  a wild  and  exciting  spectacle.” — On  we  still  went, 
darting  from  one  side  to  another  as  the  eddies  required,  till  we 
reached  at  length  a point  where  the  increasing  roar  of  the  river 
gave  signs  of  serious  impediment  to  our  progress.  Here  our 
Nubians,  leaping  into  the  stream  and  gaining  the  overhanging 
rocks,  with  loud  shouts  began  to  haul  up  the  boats ; but  the 
force  of  the  waters  was  such  that,  in  spite  of  our  still  straining 


APPROACH  TO  PHIL^E 


I * 


APPROACH  TO  PHILAE. 


209 


sails,  we  could  not  breast  its  fury,  but  were  evidently  backing 
into  a whirlpool  edged  with  jagged  rock  splinters — an  ominous 
predicament.  It  was  now,  at  the  decisive  moment,  that  all  hut 
those  required  for  the  helm  dashed  into  the  flood,  and  with  a 
long  pull,  and  a strong  pull,  and  a ‘ Heylessa'*  chorus,  in- 
creasing in  vigor  and  desperation  with  the  obstacle  to  he  sur- 
mounted, we  shot  up  the  rapid  into  the  quiet  water  above,  and 
the  rocks  around  echoed  with  the  shouts  and  laughter  of  the 
naked  and  streaming  Nubians,  like  so  many  animated  statues 
formed  out  of  the  black  basalt  crags  around.  A calm  and  noble 
reach  of  the  majestic  river,  shut  in  like  a lake  with  its  mountain 
border,  soon  opened  on  us  through  a portal  of  the  last  of  these 
scattered  piles  of  somber  rocks  through  which  we  had  forced 
our  noisy  way  ; and  in  its  midst  an  island  slept,  as  it  were,  in 
enchantment — the  sacred  Philae  ; its  temples  of  mysterious 
sanctity  half-hidden  by  sheltering  groves  of  palm,  and  reflected 
far  down  into  the  broad,  silent,  and  glassy  river.  Gliding  across 
this  tranquil  basin,  we  furled  our  sails  and  laid  the  boat  under 
the  deep  cool  shadow  of  a high  bank  overhung  with  foliage; 
certainly  the  most  beautiful  spot  in  Egypt.  A graceful  co- 
lumnar building,  of  the  later  style  of  Egyptian  art,  on  a bold 
and  massive  foundation,  looked  down,  from  amid  clusters  of 
palms,  upon  the  water — one  of  those  combinations  rather  like 
the  creation  of  a painter’s  fancy  than  an  actual  scene. 

The  entire  scenery  from  Assouan  to  Philae  is  so  utterly  un- 
like the  general  character  of  the  Nile,  and  so  impressed  with  an 
almost  unearthly  wildness — fantastic  and  impish,  as  Miss  Mar- 
tineau  well  calls  it — the  frame-work  in  which  is  often  set  a 
beauty  almost  as  unearthly,  that  no  region  could  have  been  so 
well  selected  by  the  ancient  Egyptians  to  invest  with  the  most 
sacred  scenes  of  their  mythology.  Philae  itself  was  a spot  of 
peculiar  sanctity,  as  one  of  the  fabled  burial-places  of  Osiris. 
“ So  holy  was  the  place,”  says  Wilkinson,  “ that  no  one  was  per- 
mitted to  visit  it  without  express  permission  ; and  it  was  fancied 

* “ God  help  us  !” 

26 


210 


OSIRIS  AND  HIS  FUNCTIONS. 


that  no  bird  would  fly  over,  nor  fish  swim  near  this  consecrated 
ground.  “ Osiris,  in  his  mysterious  character,  was  the  greatest 
of  the  Egyptian  deities,  but  little  is  known  of  those  undivulged 
secrets  which  the  ancients  took  so  much  care  to  conceal.  So 
cautious  indeed  were  the  initiated,  that  they  made  a scruple 
even  of  mentioning  him,  and  Herodotus,  whenever  he  re- 
lates any  thing  concerning  this  deity,  excuses  himself  from 
uttering  his  name.  His  principal  office  as  an  Egyptian  deitv 
was  to  judge  the  dead,  and  to  rule  over  that  kingdom  where 
the  souls  of  good  men  were  admitted  to  eternal  felicity.  Seated 
on  his  throne,  accompanied  by  Isis  and  Nephys,  with  the  four 
genii  of  Amenti,  who  stand  on  a lotus  growing  from  the  waters 
in  the  center  of  the  divine  abode,  he  receives  an  account  of  the 
actions  of  the  deceased,”  which  are  weighed  in  the  scales  of 
truth.  But  it  is  in  his  mysterious  character,  as  the  manifesta- 
tion of  the  Divinity  on  earth,  as  an  impersonation  of  his  good- 
ness, that  his  peculiar  sanctity  appears  to  have  consisted.  “ He 
appeared  on  earth  to  benefit  mankind,  and  after  having  per- 
formed the  duties  he  had  come  to  fulfil,  and  falling  a sacrifice  to 
Typho,  the  evil  principle,  who  was  at  length  overcome  by  his 
influence,  after  his  leaving  the  world  he  rose  again  to  a new 
life,  and  became  the  judge  of  mankind  in  a future  state.  The 
dead  also,  after  having  passed  their  final  ordeal  and  been 
absolved  from  sin,  obtained  in  his  name,  which  they  then  took, 
the  blessings  of  eternal  felicity.  This  very  remarkable  analogy 
to  the  office  sustained  by  our  Saviour,  may  induce  some  to 
think,”  says  Wilkinson,  “ that  the  Egyptians,  being  aware  of  the 
promises  of  his  coming,  had  anticipated  the  event,  and  intro- 
duced that  mystery  into  their  religious  system.”  Whether  this 
was  the  case,  or  whether  these  ideas  rather  arose  spontaneously 
in  the  Egyptian  mind,  must  remain  uncertain,  but  the  functions 
thus  ascribed  to  Osiris  may  well  explain  the  peculiar  and  distin- 
guishing reverence  in  which  his  fabled  burial-place  was  held.* 

* See  more  fully  on  this  subject  Wilkinson's  Ancient  Egyptians,  2d  Series, 
vol.  i. 


Island  of  Philae 


w&m 


OSIRIS,  ISIS,  AND  HORUS. 


211 


His  sepulcher,  says  Diodorus,  is  revered  by  all  the  priests 
throughout  Egypt,  and  three  hundred  and  sixty  cups  are  filled 
daily  with  milk  by  priests  expressly  appointed  for  this  purpose, 
who,  calling  on  the  names  of  the  gods,  utter  a solemn  lamenta- 
tion, wherefore  the  island  can  only  be  approached  by  the 
priests  ; and  the  most  solemn  oath  taken  by  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Thebaid,  is  to  swear  by  Osiris  who  lies  buried  in 
Philse. 

Associated  with  Osiris  was  Isis ; she  attended  upon  him  as 
judge  of  the  dead,  in  which  character  she  was  regarded  as  the 
greatest  of  the  Egyptian  goddesses.  Osiris,  Isis,  and  their  son, 
Horus,  formed  the  triad  worshiped  at  Philse.  Isis  was  said  to 
be  the  protector  of  her  brother,  and  his  royal  consort  or  sister. 
In  this  quality  she  answered  in  the  regions  of  the  dead  to 
Proserpine,  the  wife  of  Pluto,  among  the  Greeks.  Isis  was 
metaphorically  considered  to  be  the  earth,  or  feminine  part  of 
nature,  or  matter,  in  reference  to  the  creative  action  of  Deitv. 
Horus,  answering  to  the  Greek  Apollo,  was  the  avenger  of  his 
father,  Osiris,  after  his  being  put  to  death  by  Typhon,  whom  he 
is  represented  as  overcoming  in  the  form  of  a snake.  The 
same  idea  also  existed  in  the  Greek,  Scandinavian,  and  Indian 
mythology,  and,  like  the  story  of  Osiris,  may  have  been  de- 
rived, as  Wilkinson  suggests,  from  Bible  tradition,  or  from  some 
common  conception  of  oriental  origin,  to  shadow  forth  the 
apparent  struggle  between  the  good  and  evil  principles  which 
has  so  often  perplexed  philosophy  to  explain. 

Much,  it  must  be  confessed,  of  the  beauty  of  the  island  vanishes 
when  we  set  foot  on  it,  from  the  circumstance  that  it  has  been 
covered  with  a town  of  mud-built  dwellings  at  a later  period,  the 
ruins  and  foundations  of  which,  dull  and  ugly,  grievously  dis- 
guise the  natural  surface,  and  render  a peregrination  both  diffi- 
cult and  toilsome.  In  this  respect  how  different  from  the  green 
monastic  isle  of  Innisfallen,  perhaps  the  loveliest  retreat  that 
earth  can  furnish  1 Picking,  with  difficulty,  our  way  through 
these  obstructions,  we  reached  the  great  temple  of  Isis,  which 


212 


VIEW  FROM  PHILSE. 


ranges  along  the  whole  of  this  side  of  the  island,  divided  by  a 
narrow  and  rapid  channel,  across  which  there  is  a ferry,  from 
the  rocky,  neighboring  island  of  Bigge.  Though  the  gen- 
eral style  of  the  temple,  its  propylaea  and  courts,  resemble  the 
rest  of  Egyptian  fanes,  there  is  considerable  irregularity  in  the 
form;  and  Wilkinson  and  others  call  attention  to  “the  small 
dark  rooms  in  the  wall  of  the  eastern  Adytum,  to  which  a stair- 
case leads  from  near  the  front  of  that  chamber.  They  have  the 
appearance  of  being  intended  either  for  concealing  the  sacred 
' treasures  of  the  temple,  or  for  some  artifice  connected  with 
superstition,  and  perhaps  with  the  punishment  of  those  who 
offended  the  majesty  of  the  priesthood.” 

No  part  of  the  temple  of  Philse  presents  the  colossal  grandeur 
of  the  ruins  of  Thebes,  it  is  rather  an  elegant  specimen  of  the 
lighter  Ptolemaic  architecture,  and  therefore  so  much  the  better 
adapted  to  harmonize  with  the  romantic  scenery  of  the  island. 
The  specimens  of  capitals,  composed  of  the  leaves  of  the  lotus 
and  other  plants,  are  peculiarly  delicate,  and  the  vivid  pres- 
ervation of  the  colors  adds  much  to  their  beauty.  It  has 
been  well  observed,  that  Egyptian  temples  are  more  pictur- 
esque in  ruin,  a remark  which  applies  particularly  to  a spot 
like  Philse. 

The  views  from  every  part  of  the  island  are  exquisitely  beauti- 
ful, but  none  surpasses  that  obtained  from  the  end  of  the  ruined 
gallery,  extending  from  the  great  propylon  to  the  extreme  point. 
This  corridor,  resting  on  the  wall  which  surrounded  the  island, 
to  protect  it  from  the  current,  is  a happy  and  graceful  specimen 
of  the  lighter  Egyptian  architecture ; the  four  sides  of  the  capitals 
present  the  smiling  features  of  Isis.  Attached  to  its  extremity  is 
a small  obelisk  directly  overlooking  the  river,  of  which  a broad, 
dreamy,  lake-like  reach  comes  down  from  the  south,  border- 
ed by  high  mountains,  and  fringed  with  a border  of  palm- 
groves.  Sweeping  around  the  dark,  fantastic,  up-piled  rocks  of 
Bigge,  the  current  breaks  against  this  end  of  the  island,  and 
peeping  over  the  perpendicular  wall  which  breaks  its  force,  we 


VIEW  FROM  PHTLjE 


. 


' 


I 


NUBIAN  CHARACTERISTICS. 


213 


look  down  directly  into  its  rapid  waters,  as  they  hurry  away  on 
their  impetuous  course  toward  the  cataract. 

We  moored  this  evening  at  a small  Nubian  village  opposite 
the  island,  among  several  other  boats  come  down  from  Dongola. 
The  shore  was  lively  with  curious  groups,  and  as  night  ad- 
vanced the  tranquil  basin  and  the  faintly  seen  temples  and 
rocks  which  surrounded  it,  were  over-canopied  by  a sky  of 
tropical  brilliancy  glittering  with  countless  stars.  It  was  the 
closing  scene  of  our  voyage  up  the  Nile,  and  will  be  the  last  to 
fade  from  memory. 


It  was  my  intention  to  have  confined  my  descriptions  entirely 
to  the  limits  of  my  own  journey,  which  was  originally  to  have 
extended  to  the  second  cataract.  This  was  however  prevented 
by  illness,  and  thus,  rather  than  omit  to  notice  the  great  temple 
of  Abusimbal,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  monuments  of  Egypt, 
I have  availed  myself  of  the  kind  permission  of  Mr.  Catherwood 
to  engrave  a sketch  of  it,  drawn  by  him  upon  the  spot,  which  I 
shall  illustrate  by  a few  brief  particulars  taken  from  other  writers. 
Philae  has  ever  been  considered  the  boundary  of  Egypt  and 
Nubia,  and  the  characteristics  of  the  Nile  valley  above  the 
sacred  island  are  totally  different  from  those  below.  Lofty 
granite  mountains  hem  in  the  river  on  both  sides,  leaving  but  a 
narrow  strip  of  cultivable  soil,  the  sole  resource  of  the  in- 
dustrious inhabitants,  who  sedulously  protect  it  by  embank- 
ments, and  heighten  its  fertility  by  the  most  careful  irrigation, 
and  thus  the  palm-groves  which  line  the  shore,  and  relieve  the 
sternness  of  the  scenery,  are  noted  for  the  superior  quality  of 
their  fruit.  Yet  their  comparative  poverty  compels  many  of 
the  Nubians  to  seek  employment  in  Lower  Egypt.  Like  all 
mountaineers,  they  have  a singular  regard  for  their  native 
fastnesses,  and  until  lately  have  ever  been  jealous  of  the  visits 
of  travelers,  whose  early  visits  were  not  made  without  con- 
siderable personal  risk.  To  Burckhardt,  the  enterprising  dis- 
coverer of  Petra,  we  are  indebted  also  for  the  first  notices  of 


214 


ABUSIMBAL. 


Abusimbal ; and  in  1817,  at  the  desire  of  Mr.  Salt,  then  English 
consul  at  Cairo,  Belzoni,  with  Captains  Irby  and  Mangles,  and 
Mr.  Beechy,  visited  them  with  the  view  of  removing  the  sand 
from  the  entrance  of  the  great  temple,  which  object,  after  much 
labor,  they  at  length  succeeded  in  accomplishing,  while  Mr. 
Ilay  completed  the  good  work  by  clearing  the  doorway  entirely 
to  its  base. 

There  are  several  temples  betwen  Philae  and  Abusimbal,  of 
more  or  less  interest  from  their  sculptural  records,  but  that  of 
Kalabshe  is  the  only  one  that  challenges  attention  by  its  archi- 
tectural beauty.  It  is  a graceful  structure  of  the  later  period 
of  Egyptian  art,  being  built  in  the  reign  of  Augustus,  and 
finished  by  his  successors.  Its  sculptures  also  are  very  fine. 

The  facade  of  the  great  temple  at  Abusimbal  is  smoothed 
perpendicularly  in  the  face  of  rock  overlooking  the  Nile.  It 
is  120  feet  in  length  and  about  90  in  height,  surrounded  with  a 
molding,  and  adorned  with  a cornice  and  frieze.  Attached  to 
this  facade  are  several  stupendous  colossal  statues  of  Rameses 
II.  They  are  represented  as  seated  on  thrones,  including 
which,  their  total  height  may  be  between  60  and  70  feet.  This 
vastness  of  scale  alone  is  calculated  to  produce  an  effect  of 
sublimity,  and  in  addition,  it  is  admitted  by  almost  every 
traveler,  that  the  heads  of  these  colossal  statues  are  the  most 
beautiful  in  Egypt.  Others  less  partial  to  the  peculiarities  of 
Egyptian  art,  or  contrasting  it  with  the  nobler  style  of  the  Gre- 
cian, declare  “ that  you  can  stand  within  the  presence  of  their 
mightiest  works  of  art  without  a particle  of  awe.”  There  is 
nothing  of  the  intellectual  dignity  of  the  Phidias  of  Jupiter  in 
these  acknowledged  chef  d’ oeuvres  of  Egyptian  sculpture.  The 
countenance  has  the  same  heavy  form,  and  thick  lips,  that  uni- 
formly characterizes  the  rest  of  their  creations.  But,  of  its  land, 
it  certainly  is  perfection  itself.  There  is  a benevolent  tran- 
quillity, a certain  godlike  serenity  and  superhuman  gentleness, 
thrown  over  these  massively  molded  features,  in  which,  as 
Denon  remarked  of  the  Sphynx,  there  is  something  of  a 


ABU  SIMBAL 


' 


■ 


REMOVAL  OF  THE  SAND. 


215 


a negro  cast,  a cross,  as  it  were,  of  the  African  with  the  Asiatic 
blood.  Of  these  gigantic  statues  there  were  originally  four, 
but  the  third  from  the  north,  having  been  shattered  by  a 
rocky  avalanche  descending  from  the  mountains  above,  has  now 
a large  portion  of  his  head  in  his  lap.  Between  the  legs,  and 
on  either  side  of  the  colossi,  are  female  figures  of  the  natural 
size. 

The  whole  face  of  the  temple,  as  high  as  to  the  very  heads  of 
the  statues,  had  been,  as  it  is  supposed  for  a period  of  many 
centuries,  covered  up  with  an  enormous  mass  of  sand,  which, 
blown  from  the  desert  in  the  rear  of  the  rocks,  had  gradually 
accumulated  so  as  to  form  a mountain  sloping  gradually  down- 
ward for  two  or  three  hundred  yards  toward  the  banks  of  the 
]\ile.  The  entrance  was,  at  the  period  of  Irby  and  Mangles’ 
travels,  entirely  concealed.  On  arriving  at  Abusimbal  they 
mustered  a tolerably  strong  force,  and  were  well  armed  ; to 
which  circumstance,  as  well  as  to  their  conduct  and  resolution, 
they  owed  their  safety  during  the  stormy  scenes  that  ensued. 
Their  first  step  was  to  propitiate  the  local  chiefs  with  their  pres- 
ents ; one  of  these,  however,  being  disappointed  that  his  own 
was  of  less  value  than  that  of  his  brother,  henceforth  threw 
every  possible  difficulty  in  their  way.  Fifty  men  were  hired  by 
day  labor  to  work  at  the  removal  of  the  sand,  but  they  wrought 
so  slowly,  that  it  was  necessary  to  conclude  a bargain  with  them 
to  “ open  the  temple”  for  a stipulated  sum.  Having,  however, 
obtained  one  half  of  the  money  in  advance,  they  soon  after  re- 
fused to  proceed,  and  the  enterprising  explorers  were  reduced 
to  undertake  the  work  themselves.  This,  to  the  astonishment 
of  the  natives,  they  persisted  in,  not  without  being  inter- 
rupted and  threatened  in  a variety  of  ways,  until  at  length 
their  workmen  were  induced  to  resume  their  spare  of  the  ex- 
hausting labors.  After  laboring  for  a fortnight,  eight  hours 
in  the  day,  under  an  average  heat  of  from  112  to  116  Fahr., 
they  had  dug  down  to  the  top  of  the  entrance  doorway,  when 
their  mutinous  crew  endeavored  to  compel  their  departure. 


216 


INTERIOR  OF  THE  TEMPLE. 


The  whole  body,  armed  with  long  sticks,  pikes,  swords,  daggers, 
and  pistols,  presented  themselves,  declaring  that  they  had 
waited  till  the  last  moment  and  must  now  go  down  the  river, 
joining  at  the  same  time  in  savage  imprecations,  and  scraping 
the  sand  in  a menacing  manner  with  their  swords  and  hatchets. 
To  this  intimidating  behavior  the  travelers  opposed  an  attitude 
of  calm  and  resolute  remonstrance.  Whilst  the  dispute  was 
going  on,  their  janissary  had  contrived  to  squeeze  himself 
through  an  aperture,  and  to  enter  the  temple,  upon  which  the 
crew,  finding  it  their  best  policy  to  be  conciliatory,  agreed  to 
remain  and  assist  to  clear  the  doorway.  A rough  wall  was 
built  up  on  either  side  to  catch  the  descending  sand,  and  the 
persevering  adventurers  were  enabled  to  explore  the  temple. 
The  smallness  of  the  orifice  admitted  so  little  air,  that  the  close- 
ness was  almost  insupportable.  Through  the  dim,  dusky  light 
thus  opened,  after  an  interval  of  centuries,  the  first  glimpse  into 
the  interior  amply  repaid  them  for  their  long-continued  toil. 
They  found  themselves  in  a vast  hall,  adorned  on  either  side 
with  an  imposing  range  of  massive  square  pillars,  each  with  a 
gigantic  statue  17  feet  in  height  attached  to  it  in  front,  bearing 
the  same  serene  and  noble  expression  as  the  exterior  colossi. 
Through  the  obscurity  they  could  perceive  that  the  walls  of  this 
noble  excavation  were  covered  with  elaborate  bas-reliefs  of 
battle-scenes  similar  to  those  that  adorn  the  walls  of  Karnak. 
To  this  principal  chamber  succeeded  a second  hall  of  four  square 
pillars,  and  the  sanctuary,  having  an  altar  and  statues,  and  two 
lateral  apartments.  Eight  smaller  and  more  irregular  ones, 
opening  from  the  sides  of  the  Great  Ilall,  completed  this  im- 
mense and  magnificent  excavated  temple,  extending  200  feet 
from  the  entrance.  Beside  this,  there  is  another  nearer  to  the 
river,  the  depth  of  which  is  about  90  feet. 

Not  far  above  Abusimbal  is  Wadee  Halfeh,  and  the  second 
cataract  of  the  Nile.  A lofty  cliff  rising  above  them  commands 
a striking  view  over  the  innumerable  rocky  islets  which  break 
up  the  current  of  the  river  into  a series  of  rapids,  which  extend 


ETHIOPIA  AND  MEROE. 


217 


for  several  miles.  The  second  cataract  is  about  950  miles  above 
the  Rosetta  mouth  of  the  Nile. 

With  the  great  rock  temples  of  Abusimbal  terminate  the  most 
remarkable  of  the  monuments  on  the  Nile.  But,  before  closing, 
let  us  glance  at  those  scattered  at  intervals  upward  toward  the 
yet  unexplored  sources  of  the  river.  To  Nubia,  with  its  narrow 
rock-girt  valley,  succeeds  Ethiopia,  which  once  gave  a dynasty 
of  kings  to  Egypt ; its  ancient  capital  of  Napata  was  near 
Djebel  Barkal,  where  there  are  numerous  pyramids.  Passing 
the  Batronda  desert,  we  reach  the  island  of  Meroe,  an  alluvial 
tract  inclosed  between  two  branches  of  the  river,  where  the 
rich  soil  and  important  position  led  to  the  establishment  of  a 
commercial  community,  who  have  left  behind  them  a consider- 
able number  of  pyramids  and  temples.  For  these,  far  inferior  in 
size  and  construction  to  those  of  Egypt,  some  had  claimed  an 
antiquity  still  greater  than  that  of  the  latter,  arguing  therefrom 
the  descent  of  civilization  from  Ethiopia  and  Meroe  down- 
ward toward  the  Thebaid  and  the  Delta.  It  has  been,  how- 
ever, recently  ascertained  by  many,  that  the  date  of  these  struc- 
tures is  comparatively  quite  modern,  and  that  they  are  but 
copies  from  those  of  Egypt.  Here  we  finally  lose  sight  of  all 
monumental  traces  of  the  occupation  or  influence  of  the  Pha- 
raohs ; though  from  the  figures  of  captives  on  the  sculptures  we 
have  reason  to  believe,  that  their  prowess  was  not  unfelt  by  tire 
Arab  and  Negroid  races,  occupying  the  upper  regions  of  the 
valley  of  the  Nile. 

The  sources  of  the  great  river  seem  to  recede  farther  into  the 
heart  of  Africa  as  the  enterprising  explorer  continues  to  advance 
in  quest  of  them — far  beyond  the  point  on  the  Blue  Nile, 
reached  by  Bruce.  The  White  Nile  has  been  recently  explored 
as  far  as  to  Lat.  4D  North  by  Werne,  who  found  the  papyrus, 
so  long  lost  to  Egypt,  among  the  indigenous  plants  of  the 
country.  Lofty  summits  capped  with  snow,  in  Lat.  4°  South, 
have  been  seen  from  a distance,  by  travelers  from  the  eastern 
coast, — the  probable  reservoirs  of  the  different  head-waters  of 

2S 


21S 


SOURCES  OF  THE  KILE. 


the  Nile.  To  this  mountain  range  attention  is  now  turned 
with  intense  earnestness, — and  though  for  a while  baffled  by 
local  difficulties,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  some  fortunate 
explorer  will,  ere  long,  succeed  in  penetrating  its  fastnesses, 
and  of  standing,  with  feelings  that  a monarch  might  envy 
him,  over  the  long-hidden  sources  of  the  venerable  patriarch 
of  rivers. 


FINIS. 


Unlititliit  $ingrnpijus. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  LEIGH  HUNT, 


REMINISCENCES  OF  HIS  FRIENDS  AND  CONTEMPORARIES. 

IN  TWO  VOLUMES,  12MO,  MUSLIN,  $1  50. 

This  is  a work  sparkling  with  gems  of  thought,  and  replete  with  interest  of  various  kinds.  Off-hand, 
dashing  sketches  of  eminent  literary  men,  the  friends  and  companions  of  the  illustrious  subject  of  the  book 
— sketchy,  admirable  criticism  of  the  works  of  the  day,  and  anecdotes  of  different  persons  met  with  in 
the  course  of  his  career — these  form  the  two  volumes  of  the  Autobiography,  which,  once  taken  up,  will 
not,  we  venture  to  say,  be  laid  down  until  the  last  page  is  reluctantly  reached  — Alfred  B.  Street. 

A delightful  book;  delightful  in  what  relates  to  the  author,  and  no  less  so  in  what  relates  to  the  men 
of  letters  who  were  his  contemporaries  and  friends. — N.  Y.  Evening  Post. 

W e would  not  be  without  this  Autobiography  of  Leigh  Hunt  for  the  price  of  fifty  such  volumes.- — N.  Y. 
Journal  of  Commerce. 

W e want  no  more  entertaining  reading  ■than  this  Autobiography. — Newark  Daily  Advertiser. 

One  of  the  most  delightful  books  which  has  lately  issued  from  the  press. — Richmond  Republican. 

These  volumes  are  delightful.  Hunt  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  vivacious  and  agreeable  of  English 
writers.  He  well  deserves  every  particle  of  the  reputation  he  has  won. — Hartford  Republican. 

This  work  will  afford  much  gratification  and  meet  with  many  admirers. — Washington  Union. 

These  are  a couple  of  racy,  egotistical,  gossiping  volumes,  abounding  in  picturesque  descriptions  of  con- 
temporary events  and  men,  and  in  anecdotes  illustrative  of  the  times  during  which  Leigh  Hunt  was  a no- 
table name.  In  connection  with  the  “ Life  and  Correspondence  of  Southey,”  and  the  " Life  of  Campbell,” 
they  furnish  a highly  interesting  view  of  literary,  political,  and  social  life  in  England  during  the  last  half 
century. — Southern  Christian  Advocate. 


THE  LIEE  AND  LETTERS 

OF 

T II  0 M A S CAMPBELL. 

EDITED 

BY  WILLIAM  BEATTIE,  M.D. 

WITU  AX  INTRODUCTORY  LETTER  BY  WASHINGTON  IRVING,  Esq. 

IN  TWO  VOLUMES,  12.UO,  MUSLIN,  $2  50. 

A most  interesting  and  valuable  contribution  to  our  biographical  literature.  It  gives  us  the  complete 
life  and  career  of  one  of  the  sweetest  minstrels  of  die  time.  EveTy  page  is  full  of  interest,  and,  on  its 
perusal,  we  feel  that  a full  and  correct  likeness  of  the  poet  is  in  our  possession. — Albany  Atlas. 

In  editing  the  life  of  his  friend.  Dr.  Beattie,  who  was  for  many  years  his  physician,  has  performed  what 
was  evidently  a labor -of  love.  We  have  no  hesitation  in  commending  his  volumes — Metlu  Quart.  Rev. 

These  volumes  are  the  most  interesting  contributions  to  the  British  classics  that  have  appeared  for 
several  years. — Evening  Journal. 

We  have  not  seen  a book  for  a long  time  which  we  welcomed  with  more  real  pleasure.  We  feel  al- 
most as  if,  in  publishing  this  book,  the  Messrs.  Harper  had  conferred  a personal  favor  on  us. — Two  Wort  ds. 

Dr.  Beattie  has  done  the  subject  justice,  and  has  made  one  of  the  most  agreeable  books  that  we  have 
lately  opened. — Boston  Times. 

We  have  read  the  portions  of  these  volumes  for  which  leisure  has  been  given  us  with  that  especial  and 
CTateful  interest  created  only  by  works  that  elevate  one’s  conceptions  of  the  character  they  exhibit.  * * * 
Dr.  Beattie  has  performed  his  office — to  which  he  was  invited  and  urged  by  Campbell  himself — with  ex- 
cellent skill  and  success. — Independent. 

HARPER  & BROTHERS,  PUBLISHERS,  NEW  YORK, 


" ; 1! 

®olnnkh  SSicgrniiljirs. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  LEIGH  HUNT, 

WITH 

REMINISCENCES  OF  HIS  FRIENDS  AND  CONTEMPORARIES.  I 
IN  TWO  VOLUMES,  12MO,  Ml'SLIN,  $1  50. 

I[ 

This  is  a work  sparkling  with  gems  of  thought,  and  replete  with  interest  of  various  kinds.  Off-hand,  jj 
dashing  sketches  of  eminent  literary  men,  the  friends  and  companions  of  the  illustrious  subject  of  the  book  !| 
— sketchy,  admirable  criticism  of  the  works  of  the  day,  and  anecdotes  of  different  persons  met  with  in  j| 
the  course  of  his  career — these  form  the  two  volumes  of  the  Autobiography,  which,  once  taken  up,  will  , 
not,  we  venture  to  say,  be  laid  down  until  the  last  page  is  reluctantly  reached — Alfred  B.  Sikeet. 

A delightful  book  ; delightful  in  what  relates  to  the  author,  and  no  less  so  in  what  relates  to  the  men  1 
of  letters  who  were  his  contemporaries  and  friends. — N.  Y.  Evening  Post. 

We  would  not  be  without  this  Autobiography  of  Leigh  Hunt  for  the  price  of  fifty  such  volumes. — X.  Y.  [, 
Journal  of  Commerce. 

We  want  no  more  entertaining  reading  than  this  Autobiography, — Newark  Daily  Advertiser. 

One  of  the  most  delightful  books  which  has  lately  issued  from  the  press. — Richmond  Republican. 

These  volumes  are  delightful.  Hunt  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  vivacious  and  agreeable  of  English 
writers.  He  well  deserves  every  particle  of  the  reputation  he  has  won. — Hartford  Republican. 

This  work  will  afford  much  gratification  and  meet  with  many  admirers. — Washington  Union. 

\ These  are  a couple  of  racy,  egotistical,  gossiping  volumes,  abounding  in  picturesque  descriptions  of  con-  ' 
temporary  events  and  men,  and  in  anecdotes  illustrative  of  the  times  during  which  Leigh  Hunt  was  a no-  . 
table  name.  In  connection  with  the  "Life  and  Correspondence  of  Southey,”  and  the  " Life  of  Campbell,”  jj 
they  furnish  a highly  interesting  view  of  literary,  political,  and  social  life  in  England  during  the  last  half  jj 
century. — Southern  Christian  Advocate. 

- ■ ■ 

THE  LIFE  AND  LETTERS 

OF 

i THOMAS  CAMPBELL. 

EDITED 

BY  WILLIAM  BEATTIE,  M.U. 

WITH  AN  INTRODUCTORY  LETTER  BY  WASHINGTON  IRVING,  Esq.  j 

IN  TWO  VOLUMES,  12mO,  MUSLIN,  $2  50. 

A most  interesting  and  valuable  contribution  to  our  biographical  literature.  It  gives  us  the  complete  !| 
life  and  career  of  one  of  the  sweetest  minstrels  of  the  time.  Every  page  is  full  of  interest,  and,  on  its  j 
\ perusal,  we  feel  that  a full  and  correct  likeness  of  the  poet  is  in  our  possession. — Albany  Atlas. 

In  editing  the  life  of  his  friend,  Dr.  Beattie,  who  was  for  many  years  his  physician,  has  performed  what  j! 
was  evidently  a labor  of  love.  We  have  no  hesitation  in  commending  his  volumes — Melh.  Quart.  Rev. 

These  volumes  are  the  most  interesting  contributions  to  the  British  classics  that  have  appeared  for  j 
several  years. — Evening  Journal. 

We  have  not  seen  a book  for  a long  time  which  we  welcomed  with  more  real  pleasure.  We  feel  al- 
i most  as  if,  in  publishing  this  book,  the  Messrs.  Harper  had  conferred  a personal  favor  on  us. — Two  Worl ds.  j 

Dr.  Beattie  has  done  the  subject  justice,  and  has  made  one  of  the  most  agreeable  books  that  we  have 
] lately  opened. — Boston  Times. 

We  have  read  the  portions  of  these  volumes  for  which  leisure  has  been  given  ns  with  that  especial  and 
jj  grateful  interest  created  only  by  works  that  elevate  one’s  conceptions  of  the  character  they  exhibit.  * * * 

' Dr.  Beattie  has  performed  his  office — to  which  he  was  invited  and  urged  by  Campbell  himself — with  ex- 
j'  cellent  skill  and  success. — Independent. 

HARPER  & BROTHERS,  PUBLISHERS,  NEAV  YORK. 


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